Proximate Compositions of Beef Treated with Palm Bunch and Plantain Peel Ashes

Abstract

This study determinedtheproximate compositionsofbeeftreatedwith plantainpeel and palmfruitbunchashes. The palm fruit bunch and plantain peels were processed into ashes as palm bunch ash (PBA) and plantain peel ash (PPA) andthereafter prepared as solutions by dissolving 500 g of PBA or PPA in 1 liter ofwater.Freshbeef was treated with the solutionsin four experiments such that 200 ml ofwaterwas used to boil 186 g ofbeef for 30 minutes (T1 Control),186 g of beef was soaked in ash solution for 30 minutes, removed and boiled for 30 minutes in water (T2), 186 gof beef was soaked in ash solution for 30 minutes and boiled in the same solution for another 30 minutes (T3) and186 g of beef was boiled in ash solution for 30 minutes without prior soaking (T4). The samples were thereafter analyzed for their proximate compositions. The ash solution treatment resulted in the lowering of crude protein (CP), crude fat (CF), nitrogen free extract (NFE) and total free fatty acids (FFA) contents of fresh beef, while increasing the moisture, crude fibre and total ash content. Ash solution may be used to alter the proximate composition of beef for the benefit of the consumer.