Abstract
This pilot study provides information on the nutritive potentials of eggs laid by two ectotypes of Archachatina marginata var. saturalis (P) snails. One hundred (100) adult A. marginata snails, 50 each of the black-skinned ectotype and white-skinned ectotype used for the study were selected from the snail sanctuary of the Department of Animal Science, University of Calabar, Nigeria. The snails were raised 5 per hutch and fed fresh paw-paw (Carica papaya) leaves and concentrate. Freshly laid eggs from snails’ matings were collected from the two ectotypes for chemical analyses (proximate and mineral compositions). Results of the proximate composition of the snail eggs revealed that there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) between the white-skinned and black-skinned A. marginata snails for all the fractions (moisture, crude protein, crude fibre, lipid/fat, carbohydrate and ash) analyzed. Results of the mineral composition of the snail eggs also revealed non-significant differences (P > 0.05) between the white-skinned and black-skinned A. marginata snails. The results of mineral composition further showed that snail eggs constitute good sources of calcium, iron, sodium, potassium and magnesium, and compared favourably in these minerals with snail meat, as well as meat of lean domestic livestock. These eggs are therefore recommended for both young and old as they will constitute alternative sources of essential nutritional elements (protein and basic minerals) at a lower cost for Nigerians. Key words: Nutritive potentials, eggs, snail, ectotypes, Nigeria.
Highlights
Archachatina marginata is the largest known snail kept and reared in Nigeria (Okon et al, 2012)
The mineral components of the snail eggs were analyzed from solutions obtained by first dry-ashing the egg samples at 550°C and dissolving the ash in standard flasks with distilled, de-ionized water containing a few drops of concentrated hydrochloric acid
The iron contents of 5.10 ± 0.07 mg/100 g and 5.00 ± 0.06 mg/100 g obtained for white-skinned and black-skinned A. marginata snails, respectively, though not significantly different (P > 0.05) from each other were quite higher than the 2.29 mg/100 g and 0.64 ± 0.01 mg/100 g values reported by Babalola and Akinsoyinu (2009), and Uboh et al (2010), respectively for snail meat of the same species
Summary
Archachatina marginata is the largest known snail kept and reared in Nigeria (Okon et al, 2012). The white-skinned (Albino) ectotype is highly discriminated against by many ethnic consumers in Nigeria (Ebenso, 2003; Ibom et al, 2008; Okon et al, 2009). The study was carried out to assess the nutritive values of eggs from both the black-skinned and white-skinned ectotypes of A. marginata snail; thereby recommending it as another source of animal protein for the teeming population of the Calabarians in Nigeria. Ogogo (2004) described the egg as being spherical and cream yellow in colour; whereas Raut and Barker (2002) stated that the colour of eggs from A. marginata is chalky white, Okon and Ibom (2012) opined that the eggs of A. marginata are spherical, translucent and yellowish in colour
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