Abstract
The Kenyan government is promoting fish farming to boost fish supply and reduce rural poverty and malnutrition. This study was carried out to determine the differences between the chemical composition of wild and farmed fish particularly Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and African Catfish (Claris gariepinus) species. Wild fish were obtained from City market Nairobi, while farmed fish were obtained from selected ponds in Sagana and Kamulu (Kenya). Proximate composition, mineral and heavy metal content of the fish were determined using standard methods of analysis. Farmed fish contained significantly higher moisture content than the wild fish. Protein content in wild fish ranged from 21.9 – 22.1 % compared to 16.0 – 19.2 % in farmed fish. Fat content in wild fish ranged from 3.0 – 3.8 % compared to 1.9 – 4.8 % in farmed fish and ash from 1.8 – 2.1 % in wild compared to 1.1 – 1.5 % in farmed fish. The concentration of minerals in wild fish ranged from 2.8 – 3.0 mg/100g of iron, 5.5 – 5.6 mg/100g zinc, and 39.9 – 43.8 mg/100g calcium compared to the lower values of 1.9 – 2.4 mg/100g of iron, 28.2 – 37.0 mg/100g calcium and 4.3 – 5.0 mg/100g zinc in farmed fish respectively. Unfortunately, the wild fish was found to contain significantly higher concentrations of heavy metals as compared to the farmed fish (P < 0.05). From the results, it was evident that wild fish were nutritionally superior to the farmed fish but, they also contained significantly higher levels of toxic heavy metals.
Highlights
Fish is a very important source of nutrients, including proteins, minerals, vitamins, and unsaturated essential fatty acids (PUFAS) omega-3
This study was carried out to determine the differences between the chemical composition of wild and farmed fish Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and African Catfish (Claris gariepinus) species
It was observed that the moisture content of the wild fish decreased with increasing body weight with the small catfish and tilapia reporting 72.4 % and 73.1 %, respectively while the large catfish and tilapia having 70.9 % and 71.2 %, respectively
Summary
Fish is a very important source of nutrients, including proteins, minerals, vitamins, and unsaturated essential fatty acids (PUFAS) omega-3 It plays an important role in decreasing the risk of coronary diseases, mild hypertension and preventing certain types of arrhythmias (Lorente-Cebrián, Costa, Navas-Carretero, Zabala, Martínez & Moreno-Aliaga, 2013). Both wild fish from natural water bodies and farmed fish are widely consumed, and have been found to differ in their nutritional value and sensory characteristics (Fuentes, Fernández-Segovia, Serra & Barat, 2010). In Kenya, many of the fish farmers practice non-intensive fish farming, with variations in the types and amounts of feeds supplied
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