Abstract:
Samples of fresh Tilapia (Tilapia species) and Redfish
(Sparidae species) were salted using the pickle and kench curing
methods. The salted fish were then dried using solar and air-drying
methods.
Standard methods were used to determine the effects of
processing and dryinq methods on the chemical composition of the
processed fish.
With the uptake of salt by the fiah, the ash content increased
significantly during processing, with resultant decreases in the
fat, protein and moisture contents. Fat decrease was alao partly
attributed to dripping of liquified fat during drying as well as
chemical oxidation of the fat. Protein losses were also partly due
to proteolysis of the protein as well as denaturation. The extent
of the differences in moisture, fat and protein between the pickled
and kenched samples were not significant except for ash and salt contents.
Sensory evaluation using the rank method and analyaed by
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) showed that the kench cured and airdried
samples are more acceptable, whiles pickle cured and solar
dried samples are least acceptable with respect to texture, odour
and appearance.
The salted dried Tilapia samples were also found to have a
longer shelf-life than the similarly treated Redfish samples.
