Chemical composition

of traditional African foods

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EAST AFRICA

Composition of some East African foods

Source: French, M. H. (1937). Some notes on the common foodstuffs used in the diet of East African natives. East African Medical Journal 13: 374-378.

The following article provides you with data on

• Biological value of proteins (animal products, cereals, legumes, nuts)
  
• Oxalic acid content of some East African foodstuffs, 1938
  
• Phytic acid phosphorus in foods
  
• Available iron in foodstuffs
  
• Nicotinic acid in foods
  

PDF: Minimum dietary standards for East African natives_1940

Report on dietary survey and nutritional assessment in East Africa 1953

Food compositions

PDF: Report on dietary survey and nutritional assessment in East Africa 1953

TANZANIA

Chemical composition of 48 foodstuffs of Tanzania

• Maize products
  
• Rice products
  
• Wheat products
  
• Grasses and legumes
  
• Lucere and lucerene meal
  
• Oil cakes
  
• By- products of meat industry
  
• Miscellaneous products
• Digestion coefficients obtained by different workers for similar feeding stuffs
  

PDF: Chemical composition of Tanzania feedstuffs_1967

Tanzania food tables

PDF: Tanzania food tables

The nutritive value of Cassava

The article provides you with data and information on:
Nutrient calculations of the root:

• Fat
  
• Protein
  
• Carbohydrates
  
• Water
  
• Minerals
  
• Nutrient calculations of cassava leaves

PDF: The nutritive value of Cassava_1941

Carotene content of green leaves

PDF: Carotene content of green leaves_1967

Reprinted from THE WORLD REVIEW OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS Vol. 7, Latham, M. C, "Nutritional Studies in Tanzania, (Tanganyika), Copyright (1967), 31-71, with permission from S. Karger AG.

Analysis of some important foodstuffs of Usambara 1966-1967

Chemical analysis on:

• Maize grain, whole meal
  
• Home processed flour
  
• Commercial maize flour
  
• Maize, once pounded
  
• Rice, dehusked, not polished
  
• Mandazi (a doughnut prepared from wheat flour and yeast and fried in fat)
  
• Fresh cassava tubers, peeled
  
• Dried cassava tubers, cleaned
  
• Comparison of nutrient contents referred to dry matter
  
• Fresh bananas for cooking
  
• Dried bananas
  
• Comparison of nutrient contents referred to dry matter
• Sweet potatoes
  
• Bean seeds
  
• Fruit bananas, different species
  
• Smoked fish
  
• Comparison of fresh water fish with smoked fish
  
• Nutrient content of some foods commonly used in Northeastern Tanzania
  

PDF: Analysis of some important foodstuffs of Usambara_1966-1967

KENYA

The vitamin content of wild vegetables in the highlands of Kenya

This table is in german, the following translations will help you to use the data:

PDF: The nutrient content of wild vegetables in the highlands of Kenya_1968

Chemical composition of some Kenyan foodstuffs

PDF: The chemical composition of some Kenyan foodstuffs_1951

Chemical analysis of Kenyan foodstuffs

The following tables provide a comparison between the analysis of the chief Kenyan foodstuffs and analysis of similar products grown in other regions, probably Europe, America, as quoted by Sherman (1926).

Chemical analysis on:

• Maize
  
• Red, white millet
  
• Potatoes
  
• Leaves, cabbage, spinach
  
• Plantains, bananas
  
• Green leaves (Mathoroko, Terere, Togotia, Hatha)
  

Masai - Chemical comparison of:

• Milk from the Masai reserve to home milk samples
  

Kikuyu* - Comparison of mineral content of

• Ucuru: commen gruel (made from millet flour and water)
  
• Mukiro: women's gruel (made from millet flour and water and had salt or salt substitute added compared to the men gruel)
  
• Other women's food: Musuru, Muthio, Kiruyu
  

Kikuyu* - Comparison of composition of:

• Irio and of women's irio

*The two main meals of the Kikyuy were:

1. A sort of thick porridge called "Irio" which meant food, of which the main ingredients were maize, legumes, and plantains (cooking banana)
2. Gruel "Ucuru" made from millet flour and water

PDF: Medical research council - special report series No. 155_1931

Current article

• Chemical composition of traditional food products
  Omo Ohiokpehai, Pakistan Journal of Nutrition. 2 (4): 267-270, 2003

Created by Verena Raschke 2005 / Contact