నైరూప్య

Effect of two fish smoking ovens on the nutritional composition and PAH content of smoked fish

Nunoo FKE*, Etornam Tornyeviadzi, Eunice K Asamoah, S Addo

The quality of three marine fish species smoked with the Abuesi gas fish smoker (gas smoker) and the chorkor smoker (wood smoker) were analysed. The aim was to evaluate the nutritional composition and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) levels in the smoked fish of the two smokers. The results of the analysis showed that the protein, moisture, fat, total carbohydrate and ash content of the gas smoked samples were in the range of 54.23%-70.32%, 13.69%- 24.73%, 5.28%-8.76%, 2.97%-13.21% and 2.77%-4.27% respectively, while that of the wood smoked samples were in the range of 43.38%-43.75%, 22.00%-46.5%, 2.00, 5.26%-25.78%, 2.85%-6.50% respectively. The total PAH concentration also ranged between 321.7 μg/kg-514.41 μg/kg in the gas smoked samples and 1038.8 μg/kg-1550 μg/kg in the wood smoked samples. The EU maximum residue limits (MRLs) for PAH4 and BAP were met in the Abuesi gas fish smoker samples but not in the chorkor smoker samples. It is concluded that the Abuesi gas fish smoker is a better choice, in terms of fish quality, for the smoking of fish than the chorkor smoker.