NUTRITIVE COMPOSITION OF BOILED, FRIED AND SMOKED SAMPLES OF Synodontis membraneceus CAUGHT FROM ONAH LAKE, ASABA, NIGERIA

Abstract

Fish is an important source of minerals and easily digestible protein of high quality, used for growth and maintenance of a healthy human body. Studies on the proximate composition of boiled, fried and smoked samples of Synodontis membraneceus was carried out at the Delta State University, Department of Fisheries Laboratory, of Asaba Campus. Out of fifty-four specimens used for the study, nine specimens were each cut into three portions, thoroughly shuffled and re-grouped into three parts. The parts were eventually subjected to different processing methods namely boiling: sample 'A', frying: sample 'B' and smoking: sample 'C'. Dry weights of each processed sample (2.0 g) was analyzed for nutrient composition. The difference in nutrient composition for boiled, fried and smoked samples were significant (p < 0.05). Mean composition of processed samples revealed that sample 'A' (boiled) had the highest moisture content (49.66±4.51), followed by sample 'C' recording a value of (34.54±0.16) while sample 'B' took the least position, recording a value of (32.25±0.24). Again sample 'C' had the highest ash content (33.43±0.57), followed by sample 'B' (26.92±0.21) while sample 'A' recorded the lowest value thus (15.41±0.12). The lipid content for samples A, B and C were 39.84±2.09, 26.59±0.37 and 52.34±0.31 respectively. Crude protein content was highest in sample 'A' (5.55±0.92), followed by values in sample 'C'. The least value was recorded in sample 'B' (3.73±0.70). Following the highest composition of available crude protein, sample 'A' (boiled) was richer than sample 'C' (smoked) which was richer than sample 'B' (fried). It is therefore recommended that humans consume Synodontis membraneceus in its boiled state in preference to its smoked or fried state, in order to derive the maximum benefit, associated with its consumption