NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION, BACTERIAL LOAD AND ORGANOLEPTIC QUALITY OF FARM-RAISED CATFISH (Clarias gariepinus, Burchell, 1822) FROM THE DORMAA MUNICIPALITY, GHANA.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional composition, bacterial load and

organoleptic quality of farm-raised African catfish (Clarias gariepinus; Burchell, 1822) in

the Dormaa Municipality. Thirty (30) specimen of freshly harvested fish Clarias

gariepinus of average weight 912.78 ± 16.43 g obtained from a fish farm and an equal

number of smoked farm-raised fish of average weight 769.19 ± 6.48 g were used for the

study. Proximate analysis, bacterial and organoleptic quality assessments yielded the

following results: The mean percent moisture, ash, fat, protein and total carbohydrate

contents for fresh farmed fish were 77.4 ± 1.94%, 1.34 ± 0.26%, 0.57 ± 0.17%,

17.58±0.23% and 4.45 ± 1.55% respectively. The corresponding levels in smoked farmraised

fish were 11.63 ± 0.43%, 7.06 ± 0.66%, 9.31 ± 1.80%, 25.72 ± 1.51% and 53.34 ±

0.15% respectively. The mean total viable counts, total coliform counts, Staphylococcus

aureus and E. coli for the fresh fish were respectively 2.2x105 cfu/g, 8.7x102 cfu/g, 5.5x103

cfu/g and 2.3x103 cfu/g. For the smoked fish, mean total viable counts, total coliform

counts, S. aureus and E. coli were 4.2x105 cfu/g, 0.0 cfu/g, 2.8x103 cfu/g and 2.5x103 cfu/g

respectively. The overall acceptability of fresh and smoked farm-raised catfish ranged from

3.2 to 4.6 and 3.0 to 3.8 respectively. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in the

nutritional, bacterial and organoleptic qualities between the fresh and smoked catfish.

Results from the study revealed higher nutritional composition in smoked catfish and lower

bacterial loads in both fresh and smoked fish except E. coli, which must be of concern for

consumer safety.

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