Evaluation of the consumption and physicochemical characteristics of the leaves of Salacia pynaertii in the food practices of populations of Brazzaville (Congo)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the place of Salacia pynaertii in the consumption of vegetables in Congo-Brazzaville, like its nutritional quality. With this intention, an investigation of consumption based on a card was carried out near 117 consumers of S. pynaertii. The data collected carried on the sociodemographic data of the consumers, on the knowledge of this vegetable, and on their consumption like on their frequency. In addition, the physico-chemical analysis related to the morphology of the leaves, the determination of the contents of macronutrients and some minerals. It comes out from this study that S. pynaertii is a vegetable known and consumed by all social categories: grooms 47%, single people 41% whose age varies between 48 and 53 years. The consumption of the leaves of S. pynaertii is not dependent to the educational level or on the social standing. The sheets of S. pynaertii are used like one alicament in the treatment of some diseases. The consumption of the leaves of S. pynaertii is made mainly believed (100%). This preference of consumption is acquired by practice (84.6% and for statistics: c2 = 42,818, ddl=116, p=0.00000). Their consumption is frequently done with dishes made up of salted fish (37.6%), followed by fried fish (36.8%). The test of student reveals a highly significant difference p < 0.001. These consumers have preferences directed towards the dishes containing fish salted (51.3%), of preserve fish (25.6%), of fish fried (23.1%). As a whole, the difference is highly significant, p < 0.001. Concerning the morphological parameters, they arise that the leaves of Sa. pynaertii have one length of 2.90±4.14 cm and a width of 5.91 ± 2.23 cm. These morphological parameters are close to those of Gnetum africanum. Concerning the contents of nutrients, S. pynaertii contains a significant quantity of in nutrients and contains in particular 34.25±0.35 g of proteins/100 g of dry matter, 39.28±0.55 g of carbohydrates/100 g of dry matter, 722.22±0.03 mg of phosphorus/100 g of dry matter and 54.33± 0.45 mg of calcium/100 g of dry matter. The knowledge of this vegetable and especially its frequency of consumption would constitute an advantage with the nutritional balance of the populations because of her contribution in micronutrients and macronutrients.