ANALYSIS OF NUTRITIONAL AND MINERAL CONTENTS OF CORN COB, BANANA, AND PLANTAIN PEELS

This study evaluated the proximate and mineral composition of three agro-waste materials—corn cob, banana peel, and plantain peel—as potential nutrient sources for animal feed formulation. Proximate analysis was conducted following the standard methods of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC), while mineral content was determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) and Flame Photometry. Results indicated that plantain peel had the highest lipid (37.53 ± 0.08%) and protein (5.79 ± 0.04%) content, whereas banana peel exhibited the highest ash (9.83 ± 0.06%) and moisture (13.49 ± 0.17%) levels (P < 0.05). Corn cob contained the highest carbohydrate (48.56 ± 0.14%) and crude fiber (33.33 ± 0.21%) content. Mineral analysis revealed that plantain peel possessed the highest concentrations of most essential minerals, including Ca, Mg, K, P, Zn, Fe, Na, Cu, Cr, Pb, Ni, and Mn (P < 0.05). The findings suggest that banana and plantain peels are rich sources of lipids, protein, ash, and essential minerals, making them suitable for animal feed formulations. Utilizing these agro-wastes not only provides nutritional benefits for livestock but also supports sustainable waste management practices, contributing to environmental conservation and resource optimization