NUTRITIONAL DIVERSITY OF MEAT AND EGGS OF FIVE POULTRY SPECIES IN KENYA

Abstract

Poultry production is a major source of livelihood to many Kenyans with  a significant role in nutrition and food security. Wild birds have been harvested from forests and consumed for long because of health claims but the nutritional  differences  between  domesticated  and  wild  birds  remain  scientifically  unexplored  in  Kenya.  The study sought to highlight the nutritional diversity of indigenous chicken, commercial chicken, quail and guinea fowl  meat  and  eggs  by  determining  the  proximate  composition  and  mineral  content.  Samples  were  bought from  Kiambu  and  Western  Kenya  and  then  transported  to  Department  of  Food  Science  laboratory,  Jomo Kenyatta  University  of  Agriculture  And  Technology  for  preparation  and  analysis  with  clearance  from  the
relevant authorities. Proximate composition was determined according to Association of Analytica l Chemists, (AOAC,  1995),  mineral  analysis  by  ashing  followed  by  atomic  absorption  spectrophotometry  for  specific
mineral. Indigenous chicken was the heaviest (1426g)and wild quail was the lightest (163g) while commercial chicken egg was the heaviest (60g)  compared to the commercial quail egg (11g) which had the least weight.
Results  showed  no  significance  difference  in  fat,  moisture,  protein  and  zinc  among  poultry  types  of  egg samples. For meat samples, moisture, fat, ash, carbohydrates calcium and zinc va ried among the poultry types significantly at p≤0.05. In conclusion, wild quail live weight was the least among all the poultry type but had high protein, ash, iron, zinc, there is need for consumer awareness on sustainable use. of wild birds.