THE EFFECT OF ACTELLIC DUST TREATMENT ON THE PROXIMATE AND MINERAL COMPOSITION OF SYNODONTIS NIGRITA AND TILAPIA MARIAE.

The high susceptibility of harvested fresh fish to immediate deterioration has resulted in the fundamental need for fish preservation to maintain its nutritional quality, minimize changes in its physical appearance, taste and lengthen shelf life. The insecticide, pirimiphos methyl (actellic dust) has been utilized in the storage of dried products against insect infestation, thereby increasing their shelf life. This study investigated the effect of pirimiphos methyl on the proximate and mineral composition of Synodontis nigrita and Tilapia mariae in Jamieson River which were purchased from the fish landing site in Sapele Delta State, Nigeria. The fish samples were divided into three batches of fresh samples (batch I), oven - dried samples (batch II) and actellic dust treated samples (batch III). The proximate composition (moisture, protein, fat, ash, crude fibre, and carbohydrate) and mineral content (sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium) of the samples were determined using the AOAC standard methods. Results showed that actellic dust treatment greatly increased the protein (19.35 to 23.31%), fat (8.12% to 22.31%), and raw fibre content (0.69 to 8.03%) in S. nigrita and protein (7.09 to 25.46%), fat (5.13 to 11.70%), and raw fibre content (3.40 to 14.23%) in T. mariae. The mineral elements analyzed showed no well-defined order across the treatment levels with potassium being the most abundant mineral element in all fish samples. Actellic dust has been shown to improve the proximate composition and shelf life of both fish species studied, and its use as a fish preservative is therefore recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]