Standardization, Proximate Composition, Mineral Contents and Mineral Ratios of Selected Indigenous Soups in South-West, Nigeria

This study standardized and determined the proximate composition, mineral contents and mineral ratios of selected standardized indigenous soups commonly consumed in South-Western, Nigeria. Data on recipes of fifteen selected soups were obtained from 750 housewives living in major cities of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States in South-West Nigeria, using semi-structured questionnaire. Recipe was standardized and used to prepare the soups. Soup samples were analysed for the proximate and mineral composition using standard methods. The mineral ratios of the soups were calculated. The moisture, ash, crude fibre, fat, protein and carbohydrate contents of the soups ranged from 48.67/100g to 74.83g/100g, 3.44g/100g to 7.99g/100g, 4.10g/100g to 8.65g/100g, 3.00 g/100g to 25.00g/100g, 4.22 g/100g to 6.82 g/100g and 2.52g/100g to 30.41g/100g, respectively. The calcium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, iron and zinc contents ranged from 4.22mg/100g to 466.84mg/100g, 400.00mg/100g to 92.47mg/100g, 88.65 mg/100g to 90.21mg/100g, 42.21mg/100g to 222.01mg/100g, 1.08 mg/100g to 9.40 mg/100g and 0.31 mg/100g to 4.30 mg/100g, respectively. All the soups had high sodium to potassium ratio and calcium to phosphorus ratio but low iron to zinc ratio in relation to the standards. Cotton seed soup and igbo soups had higher protein content while black soup and efinrin soup had higher fat content than other soups. All the soups are good sources of minerals. However, cocoyam leaf soup and cassava leaf soup had low iron content compared to other soups. Keywords: Indigenous soups, macronutrient contents, mineral contents and mineral ratios