Abstract
With limited protein resources and depleting commercial fish species there is the need to improve utilization of some of the lesser known species which are underutilized, for example, big eye grunt (burrito), Bachydeuterus auritus, and the flying gurnard (Dactylopterus volitans), (other names Cephalocanthus volitans (local) Pampansre). This study was to characterize some of the proximate and biochemical properties of burrito and the flying gurnard so as to evaluate their potential for use in human nutrition and other value‐added products. Proximate and chemical analysis were determined by the methods of AOAC. Fatty acid profiles were determined following the method of Saaed and Howell (1999). Amino acid profiles for the species were determined according to Bidlingmeyer et al. (1987). The protein content of both the water soluble and salt soluble protein extracts of the fish species were determined by the Bradford Protein Assay method (Bradford 1976). Rancidity of the fish species was assessed by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and Peroxide value (PV) as described by Saeed and Howell (1999). Burrito contained 18% protein, whereas the flying gurnard contained 22.3%. Calcium content was 296 mg/100 g for burrito and 185 mg/100 g for flying gurnard, whereas iron content was 4.1 mg/100 g and 1.0 mg/100 g for burrito and the flying gurnard, respectively. Palmitic acid (C16) was 27% and 14.3% for the flying gurnard and burrito, respectively. C17: 1ω8 was 3% in the flying gurnard and 0.2% in burrito. Oleic (C18:1ω9) was 17% in the flying gurnard and 6% in burrito. C20:4ω6 was 1.6% in the flying gurnard and 3% in burrito. Docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6ω3) was 4.9% in the flying gurnard and 4.0% in burrito. Both burrito and the flying gurnard are of high nutritional quality as they had a high protein content, good general amino acid profile and abundance of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Highlights
The promotion and utilization of underutilized or low- priced fish species such as small pelagics and other by- catch for human consumption have intensified rapidly globally to meet the ever-increasing demand for protein especially in a developing country like Ghana
The fatty acid profile and protein profiling by the SDS–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were performed on myofibril proteins extracted from the muscles of frozen and thawed fish samples at the University of Surrey, in Guildford, United Kingdom
The supernatant was kept as the salt soluble proteins and together with the water soluble proteins, were used for the analyses of protein content, amino acid, and the electrophoretic profile of proteins from the fish species
Summary
The promotion and utilization of underutilized or low- priced fish species such as small pelagics and other by- catch for human consumption have intensified rapidly globally to meet the ever-increasing demand for protein especially in a developing country like Ghana. Two of the lesser known and underutilized species are as follows: big eye grunt, Bachydeuterus auritus (Valenciennes, 1831), and the flying gurnard (Dactylopterus volitans) (Linnaeus, 1758) (other names Cephalocanthus volitans (local) Pampansre). This may be due to, among other factors, their dark flesh, bony nature and consumer prejudices against these species
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