The effect of methods of singing of cowhide on the concentration of heavy metal, proximate composition and sensory properties of cowhides obtained from four major abattoir in Abia State, Nigeria were studied. The concentration of Copper (Cu); Zinc (Zn); Cadmium (Cd); Lead (Pb), Iron (Fe); Chromium (Cr) and Nickel (Ni) concentration were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer ( AAS). The concentration of the heavy metals varied from 0.32-7.55, 0.00-13.76, 0.00-2.40, 0.00-0.71, 25.59- 68.65mg/kg, for copper, zinc, cadmium, lead and iron respectively. No chromium and nickel were found in all the samples. Lead was also not detected in the control sample ( unsinged cowhide) and the sample from Ndoki abattoir. However, boiling significantly (P≤ 0.05) reduced the concentration of heavy metal in all the samples. The unboiled sample from Ogborhill abattoir had the highest concentration of copper (7.55mg/kg) and zinc (13.76mg/kg) and was significantly (P≤0.05) higher than concentration of Cu and Pb in all the samples. Boiling significantly (P≤0.05) reduced the fat and protein content of some of the samples. There was significant different in the texture and general acceptability of the singed cowhide and unsinged cowhide. However, they differed significantly (P≤0.05) in taste, colour, aroma and palatability.
