Effect of Smoking with Different Types of Saw Dusts on Microbiological Safety and Nutritional Value of Garmout Fish(Clarias (Lazera

Abstract

Clarias lazera (garmout) fish was selected for this study and smoked with different types of sawdust (mosky (Pinus strobus), talh (Acacia seyal), mesquite (Prosopis chilensis)) to evaluate the microbial safety, nutritional value and 11 general acceptability of smoked fish to assess its shelf life under refrigeration storage for four weeks. Twenty kgs of Clarias Lazera fish were used. Fish samples were carefully handled throughout the preparation process; they were cleaned up, eviscerated and divided into four portions, one portion kept without treatments (control), the rest three samples were immersed in 10% salted solution, washed with tab water to remove salt traces then dried for one hour under direct fan to release the liquids inside the fish. After that, the three samples were smoked with different sawdust as follows: one portion smoked with (mosky) sawdust, the second portion smoked with (talh) sawdust and the third portion smoked with (mesquite) sawdust for two hours and each packed under vacuum in polyethylene and stored under refrigeration for four weeks. Proximate analysis including (moisture %, ash %, fat % and protein %) were carried out before and after smoking process. Total bacterial count, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus spp., Coliform bacteria and Yeasts and Moulds were checked before smoking and every week during the refrigeration storage for four weeks. Sensory evaluations were also done after smoking process. The results of the study revealed that there is a significant difference in moisture, protein and fat content among the different studied smoked samples. Moisture and ash tend to decreased after smoking process while protein and fat contents increased after smoking. Smoking with different types of sawdust completely eliminated Salmonella and coliform bacteria. During the refrigeration storage detected species were within the acceptable limits for fish, while some .increments occurred after storage Sensory evaluation indicated the acceptability of consumers for the smoked products, and smoked fish with (mesquite) sawdust were the top of preference .followed by samples smoked with (talh) and (mosky) sawdust