Comparative Study of the Nutritive and Elemental Composition of Smoked and Raw Clarias gariepinus from Three Selected Fish Farms in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria

Clarias gariepinus is of economic importance in aquaculture due to its rapid growth, omnivorous diet, and potential as food source. It has been widely cultured and dispensed both in raw and smoked forms in various regions to meet the demand for fish protein This study assessed and compared the nutritional quality and elemental composition of smoked and raw samples of Clarias gariepinus. A total of twelve fish samples were analysed, six raw samples and six smoked samples with two fishes sampled from each farm tagged A, B and C. The Proximate and elemental analysis were done using standard procedures. The result of the study showed that moisture content measured in the raw Clarias gariepinus which ranged between (73.074 ± 1.59) % and (71.52 ± 1.83) %. was higher than that of the smoked fish ranging from (26.69±0.03) % to (32.21± 0.02) %. The protein content of smoked fish ranged (43.2±0.02) % to (46.78±0.01) while that of raw fish was between (20.52 ± 1.12) % and (22.15 ± 0.43) %. Similarly, the crude fat, ash, carbohydrate, and fibre content were higher in the smoked fish than raw catfish samples. The elemental composition of both smoked and raw catfish were within the permissible limit of World Health Organization. Arsenic was not detected in the muscle of the raw fish, while cadmium, chromium, lead and magnesium were present in values within WHO permissible limit and similar results was observed for the smoked fish samples. The result of this study presents the possibility of smoked catfish being more nutritious than the raw samples aside from the fact that it has more shelf life than raw fish. Also, both smoked and raw samples of the fish are safe as the values of heavy metal observed were all within the permissible limit of WHO.