ABSTRACT

This study evaluate the effects of smoking, frying and freezing on the nutrient

composition, microbial quality and shelf-life of ClariasgariepinusBurchell, 1822. A total

of forty five (45) fresh African Catfish (Clariasgariepinus) with average body weight and

length of 547.32 ±9.60 g and 40.31 ±5.56 cm respectively were purchased randomly from

Zaria Dam (August, 2015). Eighteen samples each were subjected to smoking and frying,

six samples for freezing and the remaining three samples as control. Analysis ofcrude

protein, moisture, ash and fat/lipid contents of the fresh, smoked, fried and frozen fish

were carried out according to the methods and procedures of the Association of

Analytical Chemistry(AOAC). Data was subjected to one – way analysis of variance

(ANOVA) at 5% level of significant to determine the differences in proximate

composition of Clariasgariepinusprocessed using different methods.Fisher‟s least

significant difference was used to separate differences in treatment means.Frying with

vegetable oil produced significantly (p<0.05) highest crude protein, while frying with

palm oil produced the least. The proximate composition of catfish smoked with charcoal

showed that moisture contents ranged from 6.74-41.50%, other values were 58.50-

93.27%, 25.66-59.44%, 4.00-16.75%, 2.10-18.74% and 13.17% for dry matter (DM),

crude protein (CP), oil, ash and nitrogen free extracts (NFE) respectively. The effect of

smoking with Parkiawood yielded proximate composition as moisture contents (7.57-

19.11%), DM (83.97%), CP (39.66-68.13%), oil (5.36-36.45%), ash (3.15-13.64%) and

NFE (5.64-29.05%). Smoking with Anacardiumwood produced moisture content of 7.69-

19.11%, DM (69.31.31%), CP (36.45-66.25%), oil (4.26-30.65%), ash (3.10-13.04%) and

NFE (7.61-42.25%). The frozen method reduced the parameters as shown in the range of

their values, DM (28.34-40.06%), CP (49.61-57.12%), oil (7.55-12.36%) ash (7.29-

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