Changes in physicochemical and sensory characteristics of smoke-dried fish species stored at ambient temperature

Abstract

This study assessed the comparative changes in the physical and chemical components of five different species of smoked freshwater fish: Bony tongue, Heterotis niloticus, African carp, Labeo coubie, Snake fish, Parachanna obscura, Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus and African mud catfish, Clarias gariepinus during storage. The fish were smoke-dried to average moisture content of 10.41 0.02% and stored. Fish were packaged in black polythene bags and kept in perforated plastic containers. The fish were left in the plastic baskets for 56 days at ambient temperature (25-32 o C).