Nutritional Quality of Animal Polypeptide (Crayfish) Formulated Into Complementary Foods

Abstract

Crayfish is classified as animal polypeptide, has complete amino acid profile, highly digestible, considerable nutritive value with a superior biological value that is necessary for good health and normal growth. The objective of this study is to assess nutritionally the quality and quantity of animal polypeptide formulated into complementary foods. Maize (Zea mays) and crayfish (euastacus spp) were the sole energy and protein sources respectively. Dietary samples consisted of diet 1, carbohydrate100% (Basal) diet 2 (Powdered Crayfish: fermented maize 10:100), diet 3 (Powdered Crayfish: fermented maize15:100), diet 4, milk based commercial diet, the formulated complementary diets were fed to 50 albino rats. The experimental animals (50) were selected randomly, weighed, allocated to metabolic cages. The experimental animals were reweighed and grouped into five of ten each per group. Dietary samples and water were fed to experimental animals ad libitum for 28 days and the variations were noted. The results revealed that the growth rate, (non protein dietary) declined from 24.62- 23.79g, (protein dietary) increased from 23.36-45.74, 24.50-40.77, and 24.43-37.81g, for diets 1 2, 3, and 4 respectively. The average nitrogen content retained in the various organs of the experimental animals, such as liver, kidney and muscle of the diets 1 2, 3 and 4 were 33.52, 57.30, 55.70, 55.22; 43.60, 52.33, 53.20, 51.38; and 45.80, 57.80, 56.80, 56.08mg/100g respectively. The complementary food formulations at 10% animal polypeptide formulation was favourably comparable to control, was found superior in terms of growth rate, and ensure optimum nitrogen content in the animal organs. It is thus concluded that calories obtained at 10% formulation with an animal polypeptide (crayfish) inclusion result in optimal nutrient composition of complementary foods and may be suitable to provide caloric value for sustenance, met recommended dietary allowance (RDA) and sufficient to eradicate protein energy malnutrition (PEM), in the developing countries.