The calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, magnesium, sodium, and potassium contents of 44 Malawian foods and 18 Papua New Guinean foods were analyzed using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry and X-ray fluorescence procedures. The mineral content (mg/100 g edible portion) of these foods ranged from trace amounts (maize flour) to 3292 (crabs) for Ca; 7 (sago) to 1702 (dry matemba) for P; 0.08 (sago) to 25.4 (usipa) for Zn; 0.01 (sago) to 3.0 (locust) for Cu; 0.03 (yam, pumpkin, duck egg) to 3.92 (tulip) for Mn; 6 (pancakes) to 259 (crabs) for Mg; trace amounts (cereals, sago) to 578 (crabs) for Na; 16 (sago) to 1397 (dry kidney bean) for K. Animal products had the highest content of most minerals analyzed. The mineral content of the dietary staples tended to below.