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COMPARATIVE STUDY OF NUTRITIONAL QUALITIES AND MINERALIZATION OF LACUSTRINE FISH SPECIES IN NIGERIA

Adedokun Mathew Adewale1* and Osuntoki, N. B2

Highly proteinous food consumed by both young and old populace is fish. Large number of consumers do eat fish because of its availability, palatability, softness and biological values. The quality of nutrients in fish is a function of food and feeding habits and the resident water body. Comparative analysis of the nutritional and elemental compositions of three freshwater species of fish; T. zilli (TZ), P. senegalus (PS) and C. gariepinus (CG), collected from Igboho reservoir, Nigeria, was conducted from April- September. The biochemical study of moisture, protein, fat/lipid, ash contents and mineral elements concentrations; Fe, Na, K and Ca of fish species were carried out in the laboratory. The biochemical assay were determined using loss in weight, micro-Kjedahl, dry- ashing, solvent extraction methods and atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The average moisture contents of the fishes varied from 67.04 to 71.60 (g/100 g) with C. gariepinus having the lowest dry matter content followed by P. senegalus. The protein contents of the fishes ranged from 18.58 to 21.83 (g/100 g). The minimum and maximum protein values were observed for PS and TZ respectively. All the fresh fish types examined are rich sources of moisture, protein, fat, ash and minerals. They all belong to the high-protein (18-22%), high moisture and low-oil (<5%, except TZ) category. Hence, TZ had significant amount of fat (6.38 g/100 g) than that (1.30 and 1.20 g/100 g) of PS and CG at p<0.05. Fat content varied between species examined with significant difference (p<0.05). The pattern of elemental concentrations in fresh fish species was in well-defined decreasing order of Ca>K>Na>Fe. Generally, mineral concentrations group has major and trace elements. In which, major elements (Ca, K and Na) are significantly different (p<0.05). The three fish species are good sources of protein and mineral elements for post Covid-19 food supplements to enhance man?s immunity system.