Comparative analysis of the energy and nutrient composition of cooked and uncooked cow intestines consumed in Accra, Ghana

Abstract

Background: The cow intestine is a delicacy cherished and eaten by many persons in West Africa, but there is a paucity of data on its nutrient composition.

Objective: To compare and analyze the energy and nutrient (proximate, mineral [iron, phosphorus, copper, and zinc] and free fatty acid (FFA) [as oleic]) composition of cooked and uncooked cow intestines commonly consumed in Accra, Ghana.

Methods: Samples of cow intestines were obtained from the markets by purposive sampling and subsequently processed for analysis. The nutrient composition was determined using standard methods. Statistical analysis was conducted using the independent sample t-test in IBM SPSS Statistics version 22 to compare the data obtained from the uncooked and cooked samples. A significance level of P < 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance.

Results: Comparisons between the two samples showed that the moisture reduced significantly (p=0.001) after cooking and carbohydrate content in the uncooked sample was 6.13g/100g but disappeared after cooking (p=0.000). The ash content was significantly lower (p=0.002) in the uncooked sample (0.46 g/100g) than in the cooked sample (0.6 g/100g). However, the energy, fat, and protein content were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the cooked cow intestine than in the uncooked cow intestines. There was no significant difference in the concentration of FFA (as oleic) content of cooked cow intestines and uncooked cow intestines (p=0.8093). The zinc, copper, and iron concentrations reduced significantly (p<0.05) after cooking while the phosphorus content increased significantly (p=0.000) by 105.15% after cooking.

Conclusion: The study provided data on some minerals, proximate, and FFA (as oleic) composition of uncooked and cooked cow intestines. Findings showed that cow intestines have a substantial nutrient composition that can make a significant contribution to nutrient intakes in the diet of individuals.