African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (3), pp. 273-278, March 2005          
ISSN 1684–5315 © 2005 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Methods of preparation and nutritional evaluation of dishes consumed in a malaria endemic zone in Cameroon (Ngali II)

Roger PONKA¹*, Elie FOKOU¹,   Rose LEKE², Martin FOTSO³, Jacob SOUOPGUI1, Mercy ACHU BIH¹ and Félicité MBIAPO TCHOUANGUEP⁴

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

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

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

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

*Corresponding author.  E-mail: rponka@yahoo.fr.

Accepted 21 January 2005

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.