The Proximate Composition, Amino Acid Profile and Chemical Indices in Five Freshwater Fishes from Tiga Dam Reservoir, Nigeria

Abstract The study assesses the proximate composition, amino acid profile and its content and chemical indices of the sun-dried Schilbe mystus, Bagrus bayad, Oreochromis niloticus, Clarias anguillaris and Petrocephalus bane bane from Tiga Dam Reservoir, Nigeria. The proximate composition varied significantly (p<0.05) in all five species of fish and these ranged as follows: Moisture (4.79 - 9.52 g/100 g), Crude Protein (42.20 - 57.71 g/100 g), Ash Content (0.90 - 12.51 g/100 g), Ether Extract (3.41 - 9.93 g/100 g), Crude Fibre (0.62 - 5.08 g/100 g), Nitrogen Free Extract (12.28 - 42.70 g/100 g) and Dry Matter (90.48 - 95.21 g/100 g). The amino acid also differed significantly (p<0.05). The nine essential amino acids found in the five species of fish were Lysine (4.21 - 6.34 g/100 g), Histidine (1.96 - 4.30 g/100 g), Arginine (5.80 - 8.21 g/100 g), Threonine (1.93 - 5.05 g/100 g), Valine (2.91 - 5.53 g/100 g), Methionine (1.74 - 3.80 g/100 g), Isoleucine (2.04 - 3.37 g/100 g), Leucine (3.64 - 7.18 g/100 g) and Phynylalanine (1.90 - 4.23 g/100 g). Whereas, the eight non-essential amino acids included: Serine (2.12 - 5.22 g/100 g), Glutamic acid (13.24 - 16.30 g/100 g), Proline (3.12 - 6.29 g/100 g), Glycine (4.20 - 9.08 g/100 g), Alanine (5.00 - 6.36 g/100 g), Cysteine (0.94 - 1.24 g/100 g), Tyrosine (2.33 - 3.33 g/100 g) and Aspartic acid (6.34 - 11.01 g/100 g). P. bane bane was first in terms of crude protein; S. mystus had the highest lipid and essential amino acid content. Also, C. anguillaris recorded the highest calorific value and best amino acid content. Thus, P. bane bane can serve as a source of animal protein to balance deficiencies in humans. Both S. mystus and C. anguillaris can be used as a nutrient base for high energy food and oil in the food industry.