Abstract

The biochemical composition of smoked African mud catfish, Clarias gariepinusBurchell treated with four tropical plant materials, Dennettia tripetala, Eugenia aromatica, Piper guineense and Monodora myristica for the control of Dermestesmaculatus was determined. 10 g of plant powders and 5 ml of 10% concentration of extracts were separately applied onto 1000 g disinfested smoked fish, exposed to ten insect larvae of the pest and stored for 30 days. Treated fish was analyzed for proximate and mineral compositions using standard procedures. The percentage protein (60.10 ± 0.00 - 62.05 ± 0.00), moisture (5.64 ± 0.12 - 8.98 ± 0.28), ash (17.06 ± 0.55 - 19.47 ± 0.21), lipid (10.98 ± 0.00 - 14.45 ± 0.00) and carbohydrate (0.28 ± 0.00 - 1.48 ± 0.00) compositions were obtained in fish treated with plant powders. Meanwhile extract-treated fish had protein (59.84 ± 0.00 - 61.35 ± 0.00), moisture (10.74 ± 0.18 - 12.11 ± 0.16), ash (13.31 ± 0.20 - 16.98 ± 0.26), lipid (10.60 ± 0.00 - 11.38 ± 0.00) and carbohydrate (0.45 ± 0.00 - 1.08 ± 0.00) components. Potassium, iron and sodium were present in high amounts while there were traces of calcium, zinc and magnesium. Selenium, lead and cadmium were not detected. The proximate values recorded in the treated fish significantly differed (p < 0.05) from the control but all values were within the range normally recorded in freshwater fish. The results obtained showed the nutritive acceptance of the admixtures and thus enhancing the use of the plant products as protectants of stored products in the tropics.

Key words: Proximate, insecticides, biochemical, catfish, hide-beetle.