South eastern Nigerian seafood diets have desirable effects on biochemical indices of experimental rabbits

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of some seafood diets on some important biochemical parameters with a view to recommending them for inclusion in the daily diets of resource-constrained persons who are hapless victims of the deadly collision of malnutrition and a flotilla of communicable diseases prevalent in a tropical country like Nigeria. Methodology: Adult rabbits were placed into six dietary groups with the positive control fed normal commercial rabbit diet while the diets of the five treated groups were supplemented with Cambarellus diminutus (crayfish) Cardisoma armatum (crab), Tympanotonus fuscatus (periwinkle), Ergeria radiata (clam) and a combination of the four, respectively. Serum lipids, proteins and electrolytes of the rabbits were estimated after 28 days of feeding. Results: The results showed that supplementation of normal feed with seafoods had positive health outcomes based on the biochemical parameters assesed. Conclusion: Seafoods could be utilized in dietary modifications to improve the nutritional need of the human and animals and to lower plasma cholesterol concentration.