Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology student Ivy Rosio (right) explains to visitors at the institution’s stand how she uses snails to make various products during the Nairobi International Trade Fair on October 3, 2019. PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU | NMG
Summary
- Researchers at the university's horticulture department are... currently making skincare products from the snail’s mucin or slime to expand the molluscs’ market beyond food.
- Dr Paul Kinoti, a scientist leading snail rearing project at JKUAT, explains that the molluscs produce a secretion known as mucin which can be used in making cosmetics.
- The African giant snail is the most preferable breed for meat and slime — even though it does not give much slime.
- The snails are fed on fruits and vegetables and their housing demand is also quite modest since they can be bred in wooden boxes or even old tyres as long as a low -temperature environment is guaranteed.
When some entrepreneurs introduced commercial snail farming into
the country few years ago, many were surprised that the odd-looking
molluscs could be food and a source of income.
After a
number of success stories with the snail enterprise a number of farmers
have been considering it as a source of income. But researchers at the
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) have
taken the snail business a notch higher by pioneering value addition
project to make it even more profitable.
Researchers at
the university's horticulture department are currently making skincare
products from the snail’s mucin or slime to expand the molluscs’ market
beyond food.
Dr Paul Kinoti, a scientist leading snail
rearing project at JKUAT, explains that the molluscs produce a secretion
known as mucin which can be used in making cosmetics.
The
African giant snail is the most preferable breed for meat and slime —
even though it does not give much slime. The snails are fed on fruits
and vegetables and their housing demand is also quite modest since they
can be bred in wooden boxes or even old tyres as long as a low
-temperature environment is guaranteed.
The snails can obtained locally since they are common in the
country especially during rainy seasons. The university is also offering
training to discerning farmers besides selling snail stocks.
Nevertheless,
before one gets begins rearing the snails he must get a no-objection
letter from the National Museum of Kenya then proceed to the Kenya
Wildlife Service (KWS) for a rearing permit. This is because snails are
considered wildlife.
Snails are basically consumed like
any other type of meat. Scientists say they are a good source of
protein for their high-level of Omega 3.
Dr Kinoti
however notes that one needs a lot of slime to make the cosmetics hence
they have to import the slime since there are not enough snail in the
country to support their slime skincare project.
“There
is a species of snail known as Helis Aspasia (brown snail) which
produces a lot of slime; about 10ml per snail, but are not found in
Kenya hence we have to import the slime from the western countries,” he
said, adding that they buy a litre of slime at about 40 euros or
Sh4,600.
During the recently concluded Nairobi
International Trade Fair, the varsity displayed a number of slime-based
cosmetic products which drew a lot of attention from show-goers.
Dr
Kinoti notes that production of snail mucin skincare is currently under
way and will hit the market any time once they get a nod from the Kenya
Bureau of Standards (Kebs). He however observed that the cost of
producing the skin care products is capital-intensive.
“The
extraction process of the slime requires a lot of capital. Currently
the university imports the machine used for extraction for five million
dollars (Sh500 million),” remarked Dr Kinoti.
Ivy
Rosio, a student JKUAT who was manning the varsity stand during the
trade fair, said they are training discerning farmers on snail farming
besides selling snail stocks to them. “Those planning to venture into
the business are given 30 African giant snails which cost about
Sh10,000,” she said.
As
hermaphrodites, snails reproduce easily throughout the year, sometimes
laying upto 300 eggs at a time while by six months the young snails will
be mature enough to begin producing eggs. Snails also require low
maintenance including feed.
The venture is however not
quite popular in the country as it has been in West Africa and Asian
countries such as China and Japan.
Furthermore there
are no reliable statistics for the industry but it is estimated that the
global snail industry represents more than $12 billion or Sh1.2
trillion, with 450,000 tons consumed per year. While a part of this
comes from developed snail breeding units in Western countries, the
greater majority of the production comes from the collection of snails
in the wild in developing countries.
Ms Rosio, who is
part of the snail research team at JKUAT, says snails can be used to
make a wide range of products including liquid soaps, face creams,
fertilisers and organic feeds.
According to her, the
snails normally have shells which can be used to make ornaments or to
trap heavy metals in water treatment.
“They are ground
and fed to chicken and fish because of their high calcium content. They
are also used in making organic fertilisers where they are ground and
fortified into compost. It works well with all crops due to its high
content of nutrients,” she said.
Ms Rosio says the slime can be used to make face creams, help in curbing acnes and dark spots. It has anti-aging properties.
The quoted price for the face creams is Sh1, 000 for the 200ml bottle while the 150 ml liquid soap retails at Sh250.
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