Comparative Analysis of Consumer Preferences and Nutritional Composition of Wild and Farmed African Giant Rat. (Cricetomys gambianus) in Mampong Ashanti of Ghana

The African giant rat is one of Ghana's most common animals sought after as a source of meat (game). Local hunters use unhealthy means to hunt these animals, so attempts have been made to domesticate African giant rats in Ghana. Nevertheless, certain local consumers have articulated concerns, suggesting that wild giant rats' meat is more tender and leaner than those domestically farmed. The study was carried out to investigate consumer preference, sensory attributes, proximate composition, and acceptability of meats from wild and farmed African giant rats in Mampong Ashanti municipality in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The study was conducted from November to December 2023. A survey was carried out among the residents of Asante Mampong using a structured questionnaire, with 500 individuals aged 20 years and older randomly selected to participate. Twenty (20) animals comprising ten (10) wild and ten (10) farmed African giant rats were used for the sensory and proximate analyses in a completely randomised design. Statistical Package for Social Sciences software was used for data analysis. Most participants (57%) preferred meat from wild African giant rats to their farmed counterparts, while only 7% indicated an equal fondness for both. Respondents with Islamic faith showed a preference for the meat of farmed African giant rats because of halal slaughter. The proximate composition of the raw giant rat meat was not affected by the sex since the values were very similar. However, wild African giant rat meat showed significantly (P =0.05) better proximate composition than the farmed ones. Except for meat colour and tenderness, meat from wild giant rats showed significantly (P = 0.05) better sensory properties than the meat from the farmed animals. This study concludes that meat sourced from giant African rats raised on farms is safer, has an impressive protein content, and has moderate fat levels.