Physicochemical characteristics and fatty acid profile of smoked skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) using coconut fiber, nutmeg shell and their combination as smoke sources

Study was carried out to assess the effect of different smoke sources (coconut fiber, combination of coconut fiber and nutmeg shell (1:1) and nutmeg shell on the physicochemical characteristics and fatty acid profile of smoked skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis). The lowest water content (56.26%), aw value (0.96) and the highest protein content (38.95%) were recorded in the nutmeg shell-smoked skipjack fish. These results are different (P<0.05) from that obtained from smoking either using the coconut fiber only or the combination of coconut fiber and nutmeg shell. However the lowest fat content (2.13%) was recorded in the nutmeg shellsmoked skipjack fish and not different (P>0.05) from that obtained from other smoke sources. Although the ash content (2.30%) of the nutmeg shell-smoked skipjack fish is slightly higher (2.24%) than that obtained from the coconut fiber as smoke source and slightly lower (2.38%) than that of coconut fiber and nutmeg shell combination, these results are not different (P>0.05). The lowest SFA and MUFA contents were recorded in smoked skipjack fish of nutmeg shell smoking and different from (P<0.05) that of other smoking sources. However, the smoked skipjack fish of nutmeg shell smoking contained the highest PUFA content and different (P<0.05) from that obtained from other smoking sources. It was, therefore, concluded that smoking skipjack fish using nutmeg shell gave the best product from the point of view of some physicochemical characteristics and fatty acid profile.