Lipid content and fatty acid profiles of some lesser known Nigerian foods

The lipid content and fatty acid profiles of seven lesser known protein foods in Nigeria, which include raffia palm and oil palm weevils (Rhynchophorus sp.), shrimps (Palaemonetes sp.), periwinkles (Pachynelania byronesis), snails (Vicapara quadrata), tropical oysters (Thais haemastrama) and crayfish (Palaemonetes varians); were determined. The total lipid content (% fresh weight, FW) ranged between 1.8 +/- 0.1 and 9.8 +/- 0.1. The range of values for neutral lipids, total phospholipids, and glycolipids (mg/g FW) was 10.1 +/- 0.7 to 53.6 +/- 1.5, 6.1 +/- 1.3 to 30.1 +/- 1.5, and 2.5 +/- 0.2 to 13.1 +/- 0.9, while those of total cholesterol and triacylglycerol content (mg/g neutral lipids) were 1.4 +/- 0.1 to 7.1 +/- 0.2 and 8.3 +/- 1.1 to 47.0 +/- 1.5, respectively. Crayfish and palm weevils contained higher amounts of total cholesterol and phospholipids, compared with the rest of the foods. The fatty acid profiles showed variation among the different foods. Palm weevils, periwinkles, snails and tropical oysters were shown to contain substantial amounts of essential fatty acids, especially linolenic acid (C18:3n3).