Flavor and Shelf Life of Smoked African Catfish (Clarias Gariepinus) Using Various Spicies in South East, Nigeria

Fishes are the cheapest source of animal protein and play an important role in the diet of many people. Freshly caught fish spoil easily and therefore require adequate preservation and storage. Fish begin to deteriorate as soon as they leave the water. The four most popular methods of fish preservation are freezing, canning, smoking and pickling, In Africa, especially Nigeria, smoked fish is commonly brined. In these present study, the effect of various spices (ginger, black pepper, garlic and salt) on the taste and the preservation of smoked-dried catfish stored for four weeks were evaluated using brine solution as control. The result showed that the fish samples spiced with ginger, black pepper and salt were accepted better than that spiced with garlic by the panelists and these three spices also proved to be effective in enhancing the shelf life of the smoked fish than garlic. This result is targeted to provide a simple, cheaper, healthier and safer method of fish preservation in developing countries and to add value to the product. The value added is not just to the flavor of the smoked fish but the nutritional quality of these spices. Key words: Spices, smoked, catfish, taste, shelf life, flavor, fish preservation