E. U. I. Etuk ¹, H. I. Petters ², S. R. A. Adewusi ³, E. M. Archibong ¹, E. O. Isuk ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Biochemistry, University of Uyo-Uyo, AKS, NG
2 Department of Brewing Science Technology, University of Uyo-Uyo, AKS, NG
3 Department of Chemical Sciences, O.A. University, lle-lfe, NG

Abstract

The study of soil and clay have been in progress for the past 150 years or so. The same cannot be said of geophagy which may explain the sparseness of literature on the subject. Geophagy is the deliberate process of eating clay or soil. The practice is world wide and in West Africa the custom appears almost ubiquitous.

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E. U. I. Etuk ¹, M. M. Bassey ¹, D. C. Ekpenyong ¹, I. O. Ibiong ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwaibom, NG

Abstract

The leafy vegetables, Portulaca oleracea and Asystasla gangetica, grow as wild weeds in many parts of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria (latitudes 4°32' and 5°53' North: and longitudes 7°25' and 8°25' East). The former is locally called "utong ekpu", meaning field mouse ears, to which the leaf shapes bear close resemblance.

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