Abstract

ASPRILLA-PEREA, JEFERSON; MOSQUERA-MARTINEZ, YADIRA  and  MORENO-LOPEZ, ARTURO YECID. Proechimys semispinosus (spiny rats): a native species with promising potential for Afro-Colombian communities in the Chocó Department, Colombia. Caldasia [online]. 2012, vol.34, n.2, pp.385-396. ISSN 0366-5232.

We evaluated the potential use as well as nutritional content of Proechimys semispinosus (spiny rats), a traditional forest meat source for Afro-Colombian communities from the department of Chocó. This species is used for food and most common method to capture it is the box trap. This rodent's meat is well accepted by local people and its consumption has not been associated with any disease. Although P. semispinosus is an important source of protein for these communities, the meat is not marketed frequently. Laboratory tests showed that the meat has characteristics (20% protein, 78% moisture, 0.40% fat, 0.97% ash and 3.34 Kcal/100 g) similar to that meat of domestic swine, cattle and poultry, as well as to that of other wild meats such as guagua (Cuniculus paca) and guinea pig (Cavia porcellus). Thus, P. semispinosus is a native species with promising potential for African-Colombian communities from the Chocó. Proechimys semispinosus meat is widely used as food source in rural areas of the region, which is most of the territory, and its meat has significant nutritional value.

Keywords : Consumption; use; chemical analysis; Proechimys; spiny rats.

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