Abstract

A. P. Ekanem, C. B. Ndome and M. N. Osuagwu

Improvement of the consumers’ taste of Heterotis niloticus was investigated by salting techniques. Table size fish were degutted, cut into uniform sizes, and soaked in salt solutions at concentrations that ranged from 0 - 100 g/l for 6 h. The salted pieces of H. niloticus were allowed to drain for an hour before been subjected to fire wood smoking in a kiln for 48 h. The taste of H. niloticus was greatly improved at 50 g/l salt as reported by all members of a 5- man organoleptic taste panel constituted to determine the taste by consuming fish soaked in different concentration of salt solutions. The improvement of the consumers’ taste of H. niloticus by simple salting methods showed in this study would improve the market value and aquaculture potentials of the species which has been discriminated because of its poor consumers taste, despites its excellent muscle quality.