Effect of drying methods on the chemical composition of three species of fish (Bonga spp., Sardinella spp. and Heterotis niloticus )

Abstract

Three methods of drying (oven, sun and smoke) were used to dry Bonga spp., Sardinella spp. and Heterotis niloticus. The physico-chemical and minerals contents of the sample were determined using standard methods. Oven dried H. niloticus recorded the highest (16.42%) moisture content while the least moisture content 9.27% were obtained in oven-dried and sun-dried Sardinella sp. Highest protein content (51.06%) was found in sundried Sardinella sp., while the highest and the least fat value of 60.36% and 12.13% were recorded for smoke-dried and sun-dried H. niloticus, respectively. Banga sp. have the highest ash content of all the fish evaluated for proximate composition. The highest value of the major elements were obtained in this decreasing order K > Na > Mg > Ca in Sardinella sp. (ovendried) H. niloticus (sun-dried) H. niloticus (smoke-dried) and Sardinella sp. (oven-dried). The highest value of major element K (250 mg), Na (218 mg), Mg (183 mg) and Ca (150 mg) were obtained in Sardinella sp. (oven-dried), H. niloticus (sun-dried), H. niloticus (smoke-dried) and Sardinella sp. (oven-dried), respectively. Zinc had the highest value of all the trace elements determined while Copper had the least value. Smoke-dried and oven-dried sample were found most palatable by the panellists, while the ones with most attractive colour were smoke-dried samples.