Assessment of Heavy Metals Concentration and Nutritional Composition of African Fan Palm (borassus Aethiopum) From Hong, Adamawa State, Nigeria

African fan palm (Borassus aethiopum) shoots is widely consumed as snack in Nigeria and other West African countries. The shoot of B. aethiopum was analyzed for its nutritional composition and determination of some heavy metals concentration, using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (ASS). The results of the proximate analysis and nutritional composition showed 56.33%w/w and 53.22%w/w of moisture content, 11.56%DW and 9.20%DW of crude fibre, 6.90%DW and 4.25%DW of crude protein, 1.72%DW and 1.43%DW of fats, 77.32%DW and 70.00%DW of carbohydrate in Fada rake and Hyema respectively. The result of the mean concentration of some heavy metals in the seedling shoots of the B. aethiopum, indicates that Cr (0.034.94mg/g and 0.025 mg/g), Mn (0.830mg/g and 1.001 mg/g), Pb (0.036mg/g and 0.028 mg/g) Zn (6.770mg/g and 6.520 mg/g) and Cu (0.020mg/g and 0.021 mg/g) in Fada rake and Hyema respectively. The shoot of B. aethiopum is a good source of carbohydrate, protein, and fibre. The mean concentrations of all the studied heavy metals are within the permissible limit for consumption. From the outcome of this study, the following recommendation could be made. The heavy metal concentrations in the study B. aethiopum were within the permissible limit; therefore, it is safe for consumption.