ASPECTS OF CHEMICAL EVALUATION OF SELECTED NUTRITIONAL AND TOXIC CONSTITUENTS

ABSTRACT

Aspects of chemical evaluation of selected nutritional and toxic constituents of roasted parts of cow meat(suya). This research was done so as to run analysis on some nutritional and toxic constituents of suya meat. Nutritional Values of Suya meat include vitamin B12, zinc, iron, selenium, magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus. Suya is high in sodium and calories. After accurate evaluation it was observed that many suya sellers make their suya by burning all sorts of materials, such as firewood and charcoal to make their fire, while plastics and kerosene are used as well to make their ember burn brighter in order to cook the meat. This process exposes the meat to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a chemical compound that poses as risk factor to smokers. Again, reports have it that meat cooked over open flames often causes the formation of toxic compounds known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which are carcinogenic (cancer causing compounds). The result obtained showed that the sample of suya obtained from Ekosodin area in Benin City, had the 13 target compounds of PAHs present in their respective proportion which are toxic constituents. Metals were also present in the results, both nutritional and toxic metals.