Evaluation of the Microbiological and Nutritional Quality of Fermented-Dried Lesser African Threadfin (<i>Galeoides decadactylus</i>) Used as Food Supplement in Southern Benin

Lesser African threadfin (Galeoides decadactylus) is a nutritious marine fish, popular and widely used for drying-fermentation. The present work aims to evaluate the nutritional and microbiological quality of dried-fermented Lesser African Threadfin, currently used in food preparing in southern Benin. Four major sites of drying-fermentation fishes in southern Benin were investigated and dried-fermented Lesser African Threadfin was collected for quality control. Results indicated that the dried-fermented fishes were good sources of nutriments with a moisture content ranging from 44.62% ± 0.68% to 55.33% ± 0.23%. Proteins contents are ranged from 15.26% ± 0.32% to 22.95% ± 0.71%. All samples analyzed were rich in minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, iron, with a higher content of calcium (1.23% ± 0.52% - 1.69% ± 0.38%). Statistical analyses showed significant difference (p 0.05) between samples analyzed. Microbiological analyses revealed that the total flora count of samples ranged from 1.4 × 102 to 8.0 × 104 ufc/g. The enumeration of total coliforms and fecal coliforms indicated that samples were contaminated with enteric bacteria. The spores of anaerobic sulfite reducer’s and Staphylococcus aureus counts were less than 10 cfu/g with an absence of Salmonella spp. Based on results from the present study, microbiological standards must be put in place during the process of dried-fermented fishes. Then, it’s advisable that relevant quality control unit should be reactivated to assess the quality of ready-to-eat food, and particularly the fermented fishes in other to protect consumer’s health.

Improvement of Fermented Fish Flour Quality Using Essential Oil Extracted From Fresh Leaves of Pimenta racemosa(Mill.)J.W.Moore

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the essential oil extracted from fresh leaves of Pimenta racemosa in the improvement of fermented fish flour producing technology.Essential oil of Pimenta racemosa was extracted by hydrodistillation and its chemical composition was determined by GC and GC/MS.Different types of fermented fish flours from Lesser African Threadfin(Galeoides decadactylus)were produced by the modification of the traditional processing technology and the introduction of a step of essential oil adjunction during the process.Three different essential oil concentrations(0.5,1.0 and 2.0 lL g^(-1))were investigated.Physicochemical,microbiological and nutritional analyzes were performed in order to evaluate the quality of the fermented fish flour produced.Results obtained revealed that the essential oil of Pimenta racemosa investigated has a chemical composition characterized by the presence of myrcene(25.1%),chavicol(7.5%)and eugenol(51.1%).Fermented fish flour produced have a good nutritional potential.However,on the microbiological level,only samples produced by adjunction of essential oil have a low level of microbial contamination,with an absence of pathogenic microorganisms.