Comparative Evaluation of the Nutritional Composition, Tenderness, and Antioxidant Properties of Tree Squirrel (Funisciurus leucogenys) Meat from three Nigerian Locations

This research investigates the influence of location on the nutritional quality, tenderness, and antioxidant capacity of tree squirrel (Funisciurus leucogenys) meat across three locations in southwestern Nigeria: Ile-Ife, Ado-Ekiti, and Asejire. Over six months, tree squirrels obtained from registered local hunters were processed, and the meat was analysed according to standard laboratory methods. For this study, the proximate, mineral, tenderness, and antioxidant composition analyses were critical to understanding the effects of ecology and environment on the quality of tree squirrel meat in the study areas. The findings of this study are based on the premise that location has a considerable effect on the meat’s physicochemical and nutritional value. Proximate composition analysis indicated that meat protein content was between 19.8% and 20.8%, and that the fat content was 3.5% to 3.8%, thus showing that the meat is low in fat and high in protein. The tree squirrel meat tenderness, assessed by the Warner-Bratzler shear force method, showed a lack of uniformity across locations, with shear force values between 34.9 N and 38.6 N, indicating that meat texture may have been influenced by the diet and habitat. In addition, the antioxidant assays confirmed that the meat has considerable healing potential, including the ability to block oxidative stress. Compared to the other sampling locations, Ado-Ekiti samples exhibited the best overall meat qualities, with the highest nutritional composition and tenderness. Results show the effect of environmental variations and location attributes on the quality of the tree squirrel meat. This study not only informs us about the nutritional value and quality of tree squirrel meat but also highlights the need for sustainable bushmeat consumption and the conservation of wildlife in Nigeria. It contributes to the literature advocating the responsible use of wild animals for food and bushmeat for sustainable consumption. Key words: Bushmeat, Phenolic content, Southwest, Minerals, Colour, Squirrel, Locations, Nutritional composition