eng Science and Education Publishing Journal of Food and Nutrition Research 2333-1240 2016-07-02 4 6 343 348 10.12691/jfnr-4-6-1 JFNR2016461 article Busisiwe Gunya 1 Patrick Julius Masika Pmasika@fortcox.ac.za 1 2 Arno Hugo 3 Voster Muchenje 3 Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, 5700, South Africa Department of Animal Science, University of Free State, P.O. Box339, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa Background: Eisenia foetida are used as a feed source. However, information on nutrient composition and fatty acid profiles of earthworm E.foetida is limited, making it complex to include them into feed formulation. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the nutritive value of freeze-dried and oven-dried earthworms, E. foetida. Design: The earthworms were oven- or freeze-dried, then analysed for nutrient composition (protein, fat, moisture and minerals) according to AOAC method and fatty acids using gas chromatography. Results: Protein content was higher in freeze-dried earthworms while fat content of earthworms was not influenced by drying methods used. Most minerals (macro and micro) of E. foetida were significantly different except for calcium (P < 0.05) with freeze-dried E. foetida having the predominant minerals than oven-dried earthworms. Most of essential fatty acids were significantly higher in oven-dried E. foetida than in freeze-dried earthworms. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed on Margaric, Vaccenic, Arachidic, Tricosanoic, omega-3, SFA, MUFA, n-3, PUFA: SFA and PUFA/MUFA between oven-dried and freeze-dried samples. Conclusions: The study revealed that freeze-dried E. foetida can serve as a better source of nutrients than oven-dried earthworms whereas fatty acids were better in oven-dried E. foetida than freeze-dried E. foetida. These results indicated that the effects of drying methods on E. foetida nutritive value were different. http://pubs.sciepub.com/jfnr/4/6/1/jfnr-4-6-1.pdf chemical composition drying methods Eisenia foetida fatty acids