Estimation of nutritive value of ghee residue procured from western districts of Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to analyse the chemical composition and nutritive value of ghee residue collected from various regions of Tamil Nadu. The per cent dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre, ether extract, total ash and Nitrogen Free Extract in ghee residue was 90.61, 24.32, 0.26, 40.69, 4.71 and 30.02, respectively. The calcium, phosphorus and magnesium of ghee residue were 0.58, 0.58 and 0.58 per cent, respectively. The copper, manganese and iron levels in ghee residue were 7.06, 350.57 and 413.62 ppm, respectively. Essential amino acids like lysine and methionine were at lower levels in ghee residue. Fatty acid profile in ghee residue including myristic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, ecosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and other fatty acids were 12.76, 38.13, 1.73, 12.45, 28.20, 3.81, 0.83, 0.16, 0.63, 0.50, 0.18, and 0.56 per cent, respectively. Oleic acid levels were observed to be higher in ghee residue. Thus, it could be concluded that ghee residue is a rich source of fat and protein and also a rich source of unsaturated fatty acid and oleic acid. Further in vivo trials are needed to find the digestibility and inclusion levels in mongastrics.