PROXIMATE EVALUATION OF SPENT LAYER CHICKEN NUGGETS INCORPORATED WITH POWDER AND EXTRACT OF WATERLEAF (TALINUM TRIANGULARE)

Abstract

This study aimed at enhancing the proximate composition of spent layers chicken nugget (SLCN) using water leaf (Talinum triangulare). Twenty spent layer chickens were used in this experiment. The birds were humanely slaughtered, the thigh, drum stick and breast were deboned, minced and processed into chicken nugget incorporated with water leaf powder (WLP), ethanol extract of water leaf (WLE) and butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT) in 4x4 factorial arrangements in a Complete Randomized Design. Processed SLCN were stored at 4ºC±1 in a refrigerator for 21days.The crude protein, crude fibre and ether extract values were significantly (p<0.05) higher in SLCN incorporated with water leaf powder and ethanol extract and they increased with storage days, with water leaf powder (WLP) having the highest significant (p<0.05) value for crude protein in the interaction between storage periods and the test ingredients. This implies that incorporation of WLP in chicken nuggets at 2% significantly improved its nutritive values up to 21 days. Waterleaf powder should be incorporated into SLCN at 2% for improved quality over the synthetic BHT as a means of nutritional value addition to spent layer chicken nugget and to help farmers reduce losses usually incurred from the problems of disposal of spent layer off festive periods and improve profits