Evaluation of Physicochemical Characteristics of Hot-Smoked River Catfish Prepared from Fresh and Frozen Raws

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate physicochemical characteristics of hotsmoked catfish from fresh<br />and frozen fish. River catfish samples (Hemibagrus nemurus Valenciennes, 1840), 240-270 gram in weight<br />were taken from catfish cage culture in Sungai Paku, Riau. A total fish samples (120 fishes) were grouped<br />into 4 batches, each batch consisted of 30 fish (15 fillets and 15 butterfly like cuts). One batch was smoked<br />fresh and the other 3 batches were smoked after being frozen at -18oC for 10, 20 and 30 days respectively.<br />Before smoked, the fish samples were analyzed for proximate composition and water holding capacity; and<br />after smoked, the fish samples were determined for smoking yield, proximate composition and sensory<br />quality. Moisture, fat and protein composition of fish was not different between fresh raw and frozen for<br />10, 20 and 30 days (P>0.05), however, water holding capacity was higher for fresh than frozen fish; and<br />the value decreased as the longer the frozen storage (P<0.05). Smoking yield correlated stronger to water<br />holding capacity (r=0.59) than to moisture (r=0.01), fat (r=0.16) and protein (r=0.02) composition of the<br />raw. Moisture, fat and protein of smoked fish was lower for smoked fish prepared from frozen fish than that<br />for fresh fish (P<0,05); and the values decreased as the longer the frozen storage. Moisture, fat and protein<br />loss during smoking was higher for smoked fish prepared from frozen fish than that for fresh fish, except<br />for that frozen for 10 days. Overall, sensory values of smoked fish from frozen fish were lower than that for<br />fresh fish (P<0,05); however, flavor and odor values were not different between smoked fish from fish frozen<br />for 10 days and fresh fish (P>0,05).