PROXIMATE AND FREE FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF SELECTED ANIMAL PRODUCTS FROM TWO MARKETS IN THE ASHIEDU KETEKE SUB METRO IN ACCRA

ABSTRACT Background: Knowledge of the nutritional composition of foods is absolutely indispensable for proper diet therapy and dietetic counselling. Cow hide (wele), cow intestines, cow tripe, and cow foot serve as special delicacies in Ghana, but the nutritional composition of these animal products are either missing in the Ghanaian food composition tables or have not been updated for over 40 years. Furthermore, the Ghana food composition tables do not have any information on the fatty acid composition of foods in the database. This affects the accuracy and reliability of dietary data analysis. Aim: The aim of the research was to determine proximate (protein, fat, carbohydrate, moisture and ash) and free fatty acid composition of four animal products from cow (cow hide, intestine, tripe and cow foot). Methods: Four selected samples; cow hide (wele), cow offals (intestine and tripe) and cow foot were purchased from Makola and Agbogbloshie markets in Asiedu Keteke Sub Metro Area of Accra. Samples were analysed chemically using standard analytical methods at the Food Research Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Food Research Institute of Ghana. Nutrient composition analysis was performed on raw and cooked samples. Results were summarized as means, and standard deviation. Percentage changes in the nutrient composition after cooking of the samples were calculated. Data from the raw and cooked samples were compared using the independent sample t – test. Results: Moisture composition of the fresh (uncooked) samples ranged from 66.23±0.21 g/100 g to 82.44±0.01 g/100 g. There was a significant decrease (P