Nutritional Potentiality of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) Tôh Enriched with Flour of Shea Caterpillar (Cirina butyrospermie)

Abstract

In Cote d’Ivoire, malnutrition is still a public health problem. To remedy this, international institutions involved in this fight recommend the promotion of local resources rich in proteins such as insects and caterpillars. Thus, this study aims to enhance the enrichment of sorghum toh with shea caterpillar flour (Cirina butyrospermie) in order to solve the problems of malnutrition. To do so, 25 young rats of Wistar strain, aged to 50±05 days with an average weight between 45 and 55±5 g were divided into 5 batches were fed respectively with toh formulated with 5%, 10% and 15% of shea caterpillar flour during 15 days. At the end of this period, the nutritional parameters were calculated and biometric study was conducted to evaluate the impact of enriched food on well-being of young rats. The results obtained reveal interesting nutritional potentialities in most parameters. For example, the weight gains obtained varied from 4.86±0.45 g/d to 6.05±0.39 g/d in to rats fed with different formulations of toh enriched with shea caterpillar flour and the diet STScF2 did not show any significant difference with control diet. In terms of biological value, values obtained vary from 84.12% to 90.64% while those of protein retention vary from 11.66±1.85 g to 12.99±0.89 g respectively for young rat fed with diets STScF3 and STScF1. Concerning biometric study, no abnormality was noted following the consumption of these foods. In view of the nutritional potential developed by young rats, the toh enriched with 10% shea caterpillar four, could be retained to solve malnutrition problems.