Studies on fish protein concentrate and fish meal from river Nile bolti fish (Tilapia nilotica)

Fish protein concentrate (FPC) from river Nile bolti fish (Tilapia nilotica) was prepared and compared with commercial FPC and fresh bolti fish flesh. Fish meal (FM) from bolti fish offals was prepared and compared with commercial FM and also fresh bolti fish flesh. FPC from bolti fish showed a higher crude protein content but less fat, ash, calcium and sand than the commercial sample, while FM from bolti fish showed a higher content of ash and phosphorus than commercial FM but was nearly similar in crude protein, fat, calcium and sodium chloride. FPC from bolti fish had a higher content of lysine, arginine, aspartic acid, glycine and glutamic acid and a lower content of the other free amino acids. The bolti fish FM had a lower content of total amino acids and the contents of the free amino acids cysteine, glycine, aspartic acid, serine, alanine, valine, and methionine increased slightly. The yield was 12% for FPC and 19.5% for FM. Coliform bacteria were not present in both FPC and FM from bolti fish. Low moisture contents of FPC and FM were essential for preventing microbiol growth and to attain a good keeping quality. The FPC and FM from bolti fish reached moisture equilibrium and stopped increasing in weight within 144 to 192 h.