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Articles

Vol. 5 No. 3 (2010)

Effects Of Weevil And Mould Infestation On The Nutrient Quality Of Locally Stored Maize In Uganda

  • M Matovu
  • S Okello
Submitted
5 July 2021
Published
11-09-2021

Abstract

Despite the fact that maize is an important staple food which is highly susceptible to post harvest pest infestation under local storage conditions in Uganda, little research had been done to assess the effects of mould and weevil infestation on its nutrient composition. This study was done to determine the effects of weevil and mould infestation on the proximate nutrient composition of maize for human and animal feed. A total of sixteen samples in the three study groups were experimentally tested for their respective proximate nutrient compositions in the Food and Nutrition Laboratory at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Makerere University using Weende’s analysis methods. The control (un-infested) samples had a mean dry matter of 85.28±1.27%, crude ash of 5.74±0.58%, crude protein of 10.95±0.74%, crude fiber of 22.09±1.50%, crude lipid of 21.74±1.16% and nitrogen free extractives of 24.77±2.62%. The weevil infested samples had a mean dry matter of 83.79±1.93%, crude ash of 1.41 ±0.59%, crude protein of 8.39±0.91%, crude fiber of 3.83±1.02%, crude lipid of 1.91±1.02% and nitrogen free extractives of 68.25±3.39%. Mouldy samples had a mean dry matter of 82.37±2.29%, crude ash of 2.31±0.64%, crude protein of 9.53±1.19%, crude fiber of 6.42±1.71%, crude lipid of 2.63±1.47% and nitrogen free extractives of 61.53 ±4.02%. Mould and weevil infestation had effect on the nutrient quality of stored maize with weevil infestation resulting into a severe decrease as compared to mould infestation.

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