Assessment of the Nutritional Value of Fresh Polydactylus q uadrifilis and Galeoides d ecadactylus Sold at the Bonfi Market in the Republic of Guinea

Abstract

In order to assess the nutritional value of fish species caught off the Guinean coast, two of the most commonly consumed species, Polydactylus quadr i filis and Galeoide decadactylus , were analyzed. The Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen (TVBN) values of 23.30 and 27.71 are within the 20 - 30 range for bony fish and below 40% for cartilaginous fish. The trimethylamine (TMA) contents of 19.93 and 13.18 are below the 15% mentioned by Malle (1989). The trimethylamine to total volatile basic nitrogen ratios (TMA/TVBN): 47.37% and 47.56% are also below the 50% standard. The fat contents of 0.37 and 0.35% classify the fish analyzed as lean fish because their fat content is less than 5%. The protein contents are 17.66% and 16.92%. The results of the bacteriological analysis show the absence of sulphite-reducing anaerobes and Salmonella , but fecal and total coliforms were found in numbers below the standard.