Microbiological and nutritional quality of cymbium glans from qua iboe river estuary, Nigeria

Qua Iboe River estuary is one of the three estuaries in Niger Delta region, Nigeria. Huge petroleum exploration and production activities go on, placing the country as the 8th largest oil producer in the world. The residents are poor, show symptoms of PEM, thus depending on sea foods as their major source of protein. Cymbium glans, a marine snail is commonly consumed in the area. Microbiological, nutritional and trace elements of C. glans from QIR estuary were investigated. While total heterotrophic bacterial count of gut and tissue of this organism ranged from 1.6x106 to 1.8x106cfu/g and 9.5x105 to 1.0 x106cfu/g, respectively; the total coliform counts ranged from 3.5x105 to 2.0 x106 cfu/g and 5.5x105 to 8.5 x105 cfu/g from the gut and tissue, respectively. Fungal counts from the gut ranged from 5.5 x105 to 6.5 x105cfu/g and from 4.5x105 to 5.0x105 cfu/g for tissue. Proximate analysis revealed that C. glans had 76.05 - 77.79% moisture, 6.06 - 7.84% ash, 59.15 - 61.25% protein, 4.25 - 4.75% lipid, 6.74 - 22.46% carbohydrate, amongst others. Calcium, zinc and iron levels exceeded the recommended limits set by USDA. C. glans is not wholesome and harbours some microorganisms of public health significance, though nutritionally rich.