Carcass traits, nutrient composition and technological quality of monitor lizard (Varanus exanthematicus) meat produced in captivity in Benin
Abstract
Varanus exanthematicus (Bosc, 1792) is the most consumed reptile as bushmeat among wildlife species in
Benin. The study aimed to characterize the functional properties and the nutritional values of its meat producer
in captivity. Therefore, ten Varanus exanthematicus were slaughtered and their thigh and back muscles were
used for the physic-chemical analyses. It comes out from the study that the total length, snout-vent length, the
tail length, the wingspam length, the neck length, the tail circumference, the thorax depth and the thorax width
were respectively 123 cm, 52 cm, 74cm, 34 cm, 11 cm, 16 cm, 4 cm and 8.5 cm. The live weight of the monitors,
the weight of the hot carcass and the yield of the hot carcass are respectively 1920g, 1700g and 88.54%. The
arms, the thigh and the tail represent respectively 15.58%, 20.58% and 25.88% of the hot carcass weight.
Functionally, the pH value recorded at 24 hours post-mortem, the luminance, the red index, the yellow index
and the water holding capacity were respectively 6.37; 44.18; 14.7; 16.18 and 28.1% for the thigh meat and
were respectively 6.58, 45.61; 10.22; 16.18 and 26.4% for the back meat sampled without skin.
Nutritionally, the dry matter, total ash, water, organic matter, fat and total nitrogen content of the meat are
respectively 28%; 1.6%, 72%, 26.4%, 3.1% and 22.9%. It would be interesting to encourage the domestication
trials of this species currently underway in Benin to not only promote food security through the use of
unconventional resources, but also to reduce pressure on wildlife.
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