PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF FRESH, COLD AND HOT SMOKED BLUE WHITING (MICROMESISTIUS POUTASSOU, RISSO 1827)

Abstract

Fish is an important source of animal protein in the human diet. The proximate composition of foods
includes moisture, ash, lipid, protein and carbohydrate contents. The study was carried out to determine the
proximate composition of fresh, cold and hot smoked Blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou, Risso 1827).
Frozen 15 kg of Micromesistius poutassou (Blue whiting) was purchased and divided into 3 parts of 5 kg each to
determine the fresh, hot and cold smoked (Proximate composition (moisture, protein, lipid, ash and carbohydrate)
of the fish. Proximate analysis was carried out for fresh fish samples. The other parts were smoked in the NIOMR
smoking kiln before proximate analysis of the fish were determined. Hot and cold smoked process of the fish were
carried out for 7 hours at 800C and 3 hours at 300C respectively. The mean value results for ash, moisture, lipid,
protein and carbohydrate for fresh fish were 3.33±0.58%, 76.34±0.9%, 2.81±0.37%, 17.23±0.62 % and
0.29±0.26% respectively while the mean value results for hot smoked fish were 4.2±1.15%, 15.66±0.21 %,
23.67±0.59 %, 56.45±1.01 % and 0.29±0.03 % respectively and cold smoked fish were 4.21±0.71 %, 68.26±0.21
%, 4.32±0.44 %, 20.76±0.34 % and 2.55±0.27 % respectively. The results of this study showed that ash, fat, and
protein content increased after smoking and moisture content decreased after smoking. It also showed that
Micromesistius poutassou belong to low fat group and it is high in protein content.