Proximate and mineral composition of cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta L. and Xanthosoma sagittifolium L.) grown along the Lake Victoria basin in Tanzania and Uganda

Abstract

The proximate and mineral compositions of cocoyam (Colossian esculenta L. andXanthosoma sagittifolium L) grown along Lake Victoria basin in Tanzania and Uganda were analyzed. C. esculenta and X. sagittifolium samples were significantly (p < 0.05) different in terms of their proximate composition and mineral contents regardless of their country of origin. Proximate analyses included ash, crude protein, and crude fibre. Proximate composition of cocoyam results demonstrated that X. sagittifolium variety is nutritionally superior to that of C. esculenta. Minor nutrients measured were calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, sodium, zinc, manganese, and potassium. The results from these analyses demonstrate that the proximate composition of cocoyam produced in Uganda is substantially different from that produced in Kenya, regardless of the variety. Information  obtained from this study can be used to develop cocoyam based food products with enhanced nutrition and potential to promote commercial scale production and utilization of cocoyam in East African countries.   Key words: Colocasia esculenta, Xanthosoma sagittifolium, proximate composition, mineral content, Lake Victoria basin.