Proximate, Heavy Metals and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Composition in Smoked and Oven Dried Tilapia Fish (Oreochromis niloticus) Treated with Chemical Preservatives and Liquid Smoke
Omorodion, Nnenna J. P. *
Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, P.M.B. 5323, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Obichere Oluebube P.
Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, P.M.B. 5323, Rivers State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Proximate, heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon composition on smoked and oven dried tilapia fish (oreochromis niloticus) treated with chemical preservatives and liquid smoke were done using standard methods. Smoked fishes treated with liquid smoke recorded the highest protein content (59.5%) while the least protein content (38.1%) was recorded in oven dried fishes treated with sodium benzoate. Smoked fishes treated with potassium sorbate recorded highest moisture content (17.1%) while oven dried fishes treated with liquid smoke recorded the lowest moisture content of (7.3%) and highest fat content of (14.8%). The fish samples treated with liquid smoke had the lowest levels of all the heavy metals (Cr, Fe, Pb). Fe had the highest value in all the fish samples while Cr had the lowest value. The highest PAHs concentration were in smoked samples, samples treated with liquid smoke had lesser PAHs concentration. The fish samples treated with Liquid smoke proved best in terms of physicochemical parameters and were acceptable to consumers.
Keywords: PAHS, oven dried, liquid smoke, heavy metals, preservatives tilapia fish