THE EFFECT OF SIX BRIQUETE TYPES ON THE SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF SMOKED MACKEREL

ABSTRACT

This dissertation reports the findings on the effects of six briquette species on thesensory characteristics of smoked mackerel. Experimental design was assigned as the research design for this study. The population for the research were panellists from the UEW. Purposive sampling method was used to select 15 respondents for the study. Tables and figures were used to present the results of the study. Briquettes from six timber species, Triplochiton scleroxylon (Wawa), Ceiba pentandra (ceiba), Aningeria robusta (Asafina), Terminalia superba (Ofram), Celtis mildbreadii (celtis), Piptadenia africana (Dahoma) and firewood, were selected for the smoking of the fish.  The findings revealed that all the respondents preferred the colour of the Asafena briquette smoked fish to Celtis, Dahoma, Ceiba, Ofram, and Wawa briquette smoked fish and firewood smoked fish. Majority of the respondents preferred the taste of Ceiba and Wawa briquette smoked fish compared to Celtis, Dahoma, Asafena, Ofram briquette smoked fish and firewood smoked fish. In terms of flavour, majority of the respondents preferred the flavour of the Ceiba, Asafena and Wawa briquette smoked fish compared to Celtis, Dahoma, Asafena, Ofram briquette smoked fish and the firewood smoked fish. To add more, majority of the respondents preferred the texture of the Asafena, Ofram and Wawa briquette smoked fish compared to Celtis, Dahoma, Ceiba and disliked the texture of the firewood smoked fish. The study recommended that the CSIR through the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) should organise periodic workshops and training programmes to educate fish mongers regarding the use of briquettes to smoke fish.