COMPARATIVE NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION (PROXIMATE, MINERAL AND AMINO ACID) OF Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus AND Clarias gariepinus CONSUMED IN OJO AREA OF LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

The proximate, mineral and amino acid contents of two commercially consumed species of catfish in Ojo area of Lagos, Nigeria was carried out to ascertain their nutritional benefits.

A total of one hundred and fifty samples each of Silver Catfish (C. nigrodigitatus) and the African Mud Catfish (C. gariepinus) weighed between 500-800g, were procured from a fish landing site in Ojo for analysis at the Biochemistry Teaching Laboratory section of the College of Medicine University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria. Proximate and mineral compositions were determined using the Association Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC), Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Shimadzu AA 650), while amino acid was determined by Gas chromatography. Data were analysed with t-test and the significant means were compared using Graph pad prism version 8.0. Crude protein was found to have the highest value of 44.93±0.04 and 38.61±0.19 and ash had the lowest value of 3.96±0.02 and 3.77±0.02 for C. nigrodigitatus and C. gariepinus respectively. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the iron content of C. gariepinus (2.18±0.04) and C. nigrodigitatus (1.14±0.16). Sodium (80.07±0.55) and magnesium (74.55±1.00) contents were highest in C. gariepinus. Proline (2.06±0.05 and 2.72±0.07), threonine (7.31±0.34 and 3.95±0.03), glutamate (15.28±0.05 and 13.28±0.06) and tryptophan (1.66±0.05 and 0.04±0.01) were found to be significantly different (p<0.05) in C. nigrodigitatus and C. gariepinus respectively. The high fat contents 9.38±0.03 and 10.42±0.04 detected in C. nigrodigitatus and C. gariepinus could indicate good sources of fish oil while the high protein could indicate the fish are required for normal body functions. The abundant nutrients found in both species make them recommendable for health-conscious people and those with certain medical conditions.