Comparative Mineral Profiles and Yields of Food Grade Ash from Cow, Goat and Pig Femur Bones

Bones are by-products of abattoir and home consumption of carcases which constitute environmental pollution that attracts houseflies and birds especially vultures in large numbers. Bone dumping is of public health concern because of the health implications but can be harnessed into food grade ash for food fortification because of their high mineral content. This work quantified and compared the mineral content of food grade ash from cow, goat and pig femur bones for uses. The bone samples were procured, sun-dried cleaned, incinerated, dry ashed and analysed for their micro and macro mineral contents using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) method. The results showed that the femur bones of cow yielded 38.02% raw ash and 10.60% dry ash, goat yielded 40.57% raw ash and 5.86% dry ash while pig yielded 35.60% raw ash and 8.99% dry ash. Results of macro minerals revealed that calcium content range of 610.63-723.16 mg/100g, sodium 2.15-4.07mg/100g, magnesium 7.18-11.23mg/100g, phosphorus 93.11-280.62 mg/100g, while potassium ranged from 2.26 to 3.47 mg/100g. Micro mineral composition showed that copper ranged from 0.001-0.004 mg/kg, iron from 0.022 -1.93 mg/kg, zinc from 0.016-0.144 mg/kg, manganese from 0.007-0.108 mg/kg and sulphur from0.078-0.311 mg/kg. All the none essential heavy metals (toxic minerals) content of the femur bone samples were lower than and recommended safe limit for human consumption and therefore safe. Cow femur bone had the best mineral composition followed by goat and pig femur bones.