Nutritional composition of small indigenous species of fishes of Northeast India: A systematic review

Abstract

Northeast India has various water bodies including the tributaries of the Brahmaputra and Barak river systems, wetlands, lakesand beels. These water bodies support the diversity of many fish species. Seasonal changes in the number of fish species inthe SIS category were also observed and they are most abundant during the winter and least abundant during the monsoonseason. Many researchers collected fish data from Assam's rivers and wetlands, particularly small indigenous species (SIS).Small Indigenous Species (SIS) of fish are a vital and conveniently accessible source of rare protein, vitamins, and minerals intraditional diets. The present study aimed to review Assam's small indigenous fish species and their nutritional worth. Thesources of the review article were Google Scholar, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and PubMed for SIS nutrition composition,fish nutritional profile, and fish proximate composition. Northeast India’s rural inhabitants get their sustenance from fish SIS. TheSIS of Northeast India fish species contain proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and vital macro- and micronutrients. The proteincontent of SIS range from 12.49% to 18.30% (12.49–18.30g/100 g), lipid content from 0.7% to 19.63% (0.7–19.63g/100 g),moisture content from 65.88% to 82.8% (65.88–82.8g/100 g), and ash level from 2% to 6.8% (2–6.8g/100 g). This review suggests SIS has adequate nutritional benefits because it is an excellent source of proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids necessary for optimal health. Northeast India’s impoverished region might achieve their nutritional demands by eating more SIS of fish.