Comparative Studies on Effect of Improved Methods of Drying on Biochemical Composition of Small Head Ribbon Fish, Lepturacanthus savala

Freshly caught small-headed ribbon fish, Lepturacanthus savala (Cuvier) landed in Mirkarwada landing centre, Ratnagiri was used for the present study. Fish was dried adopting improved methods namely, solar tent drier (STD), raised bamboo platform (RBP) and black polythene sheet (BPS) at College of Fisheries, Ratnagiri. In present study, biochemical quality of fresh ribbon fish showed 75.66 per cent moisture content, 17.66 per cent crude protein content, 2.08 per cent fat content and 0.76 per cent of ash content. Drying time for fish dried by different methods were observed to be 58 h, 82 h and 130 h for STD, RBP and BPS, respectively. Initial moisture content of ribbon fish dried in STD 17.85 per cent, RBP 19.35 per cent, BPS dried 19.95 per cent and dried ribbon fish sample collected from market was 30.6 per cent and same was increased at end of 120 days storage. Higher protein content was found at beginning of storage in range of 40-44 per cent in all the samples except market sample (MS). Crude fat content of ribbon fish dried by different methods fluctuated in accordance with moisture during storage. While initial ash content was 15.55 per cent in dried ribbon fish sample collected from market, it was slightly higher in ribbon fish dried by various methods and same was decreased at end of 120 days storage. Gradually increased pattern showed in case of TMA-N, TVB-N and PV in all the samples of dried ribbon fish while variation of salt content was observed due to increase in drying time. Initially organoleptic quality of ribbon fish dried in solar tent drier was higher compared to the other samples dried by various methods and similar decreased pattern showed in all the samples at end of 120 storage period. However, quality of dried ribbon fish was found superior in STD than other methods studied.