PROXIMATE AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF CLARIAS GARIEPINUS FED HIBISCUS SABDARIFFA MEAL DIETS

Abstract

The use of medicinal plants that can enhancement of immunity eases of stress through its richness in antioxidant and stimulating effects on appetite and performance is a well –known facts based on the diverse array of phytomolecules. The qualities and quantities of food products is now a serious concern to the consumers in term of its hygiene and safety, Therefore, the effect of graded levels of Hibiscus sabdariffa meal diets on the proximate and mineral composition of Clarias gariepinus were evaluated after feeding for 84days. The effect of H. sabdariffa on the carcass composition of C. gariepinus showed that the moisture, protein, lipid, ash and NFE did not vary significantly (p<0.05) within the tested groups and the control, but the crude fibre contents varied significantly as the increasing concentration of H.sabdariffa. The results revealed that the highest phosphorous and magnesium values (0.35±0.02; 2.78±0.05*) were from the fish carcasses fed HSM1 and HSM5 diets and the lowest values (2.50±0.08; 0.30±0.02) were from the carcass fed HSM2 and HSM1diets respectively. Carcass quality of African catfish fed H. sabdariffa was not compromised.