African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases

ISSN 2736-173X

African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 4123-0981 Vol. 4 (4), pp. 273-277, April, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Nutritional potentials of some dishes eaten in a malaria endemic zone in Cameroon

Roger Ponka1*, Elie Fokou1,  Rose Leke2, Martin Fotso3, Jacob Souopgui1, Mercy Achu Bih1 and Félicité Mbiapo Tchouanguep4

1Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, P.O. BOX 812, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon.

2Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon.

3Centre for Research in Food and Nutrition, IMPM, Yaounde, Cameroon.

4Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Cameroon.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 11 July 2015

Abstract

This study deals with the description of the methods of preparation and determination of the nutritional potential of dishes consumed by Cameroonians living in a rural area, which is a malaria endemic zone, called Ngali II. The dishes consumed are prepared from leguminous seeds, seeds of the Cucurbitaceae family (egusi seeds), green leafy vegetables, tubers, cereals unripe bananas and plantains. The contents in moisture, ash, proteins, lipids, crude fibres and carbohydrates were determined by standard AOAC methods. The results obtained are expressed in percentage f.w for moisture and percentage d.w for ash, proteins, lipids, crude fibres and carbohydrates. The moisture content ranges from 57.77-86.17; ash, 0.66-14.74; proteins, 1.49-37.25; lipids, 0.26-54.98; crude fibres, 1.43-17.82 and carbohydrates, 3.51-95.76. This study revealed that a higher consumption of dishes made from leguminous seeds, egusi seeds, green leafy vegetables, and low consumption of tubers, unripe bananas and plantains will lead to a good nutritional balance.

Keywords: Dishes, preparation, nutritional potential, malaria.