Abstract:
This piece of work was done in an attempt to evaluate the issue of the traditional fish
salting practice in the Sudan. Fassiekh was selected as one of the widely consumed
salted fish product, of great preference among Sudanese consumers.The study was directed towards the study of the proximate chemical composition to
compare the effect of the different salt concentrations on the nutritive value of fish,
mineral content and heavy metal concentration. In both fresh fish and fassiekh. Beside
this, some other parameters including: the microbiological analysis of fresh fish and
fassiekh, and the effect of salting on the final product weight were studied.
One kind of fish species preferable by Sudanese consumers in fasseikh making was
selected for this study namely hydrocynus spp (kass). Samples were taken from
Elmawrada fish market in Omdurman, and subjected to three salt concentration levels
(15%, 20%and 25%) by weight to achieve the goals of the study. Fresh fish were
carefully handled throughout the preparation process; they were eviscerated and cleaned
up and divided in to two groups then three sup groups to be treated with different salt
concentration. After the fermentation process sample were taken to do the proximate,
minerals, microbiological analysis after 10 days. The loss in weight after 10 and 20 day.
Proximate analysis targeted the determination of moisture%, protein%, ash%, fat
and pH. Minerals contents were determined by wet samples.
The analysis of results obtained show that the weight loss in the salting process
has significant difference between fresh and salted fish on different salt concentration; in
the salt concentration 15% the loss in weight was 158g after 10 th day and 210g after 20 th
day. in 20% salt the loss was 179 in 10 th day and 247g on the 20 th day and in 25% the
loss was 221g in the 10 th and 262g in 20 th .
The proximate composition of the fresh samples was 70.9%, 24.2%, 3.8%, 1.2% and
VII
7.05 for moisture, protein, fat, ash and pH respectively. The proximate composition
of fassiekh (moisture, protein, fat, ash and pH) for 15% salt was 60.3%, 21.7%, 3.4%,
10.5% and 6.6 respectively. And for 20% salt was 56.7%, 19.2%, 3.2%, 12.9% and 6.0
respectively. And for 25% salt was 52.2%, 17.6%, 1.9%, 14.1%, and 5.8 respectively.As for the proximate composition of fassiekh it is clearly observed that all the
studied parameters are significantly different in fresh treated samples. Variations
appeared to be due to the interaction of the salting treatment. It was also observed that,
the minerals contents of the fresh fish (Potassium, Sodium, Iodine, Phosphorous,
Chlorine, Zink, Copper and Iron) were significantly different in different salt
concentration while Calcium and Magnesium and the heavy metal (Arsenic, Cadmium
and lead) concentration were not significant.
The microbiological analysis result showed significant decrease in total bacterial
count in all concentrations.
