Bioscience Method 2018, Vol.9, No.2, 12-21
20
Sodamade (2013). It was observed that the snacks treated with the mixture of
Vernonia amygdalina
and
Ocimum
gratissimum
crude extract had the least elemental value. This could probably be due to the effect of counter action
of compounds present in the two crude extracts.
The values obtained in this study although vary between the treatments, are within the recommended daily intake
of minerals for maintenance and promotion of good human health thus indicating that
S. galilaeus
fish snack
could enhance healthy diet.
Fawole et al. (2007) opined that microelements tend to become harmful when their concentrations in body tissue
exceed metabolic demands. Their concentration in the fish snack is within the recommended daily limit. This
study therefore, showed that the snacks are good sources of nutrient and minerals which could be attributed to the
fact that fresh water fishes are rich in nutrients and mineral (Fawole et al., 2013), and
Vernonia amydalina
plant
crude extract has the potential to balancing the recommended daily intake of nutrients and minerals to the benefit
of human health.
4 Conclusion
Processing fish into ‘suya like’ snack improves the nutrient composition, especially, the protein, fibre and ash thus
making it nutrient dense. Addition of plant extracts and composite spice to the fish fillet have been shown to have
an impact on food quality in increasing the nutritional quality of the snack.
The processing of fish species into fish snacks is recommended because it could help in promoting cottage
industry to enhance food and employment security more especially that the takeoff capital and technology is not
much, coupled with availability of raw material and market. Women entrepreneurs should be encouraged to
venture into fish snacks production to provide them with a viable livelihood. The use of polythene material for
packaging should be encouraged so as to make it attractive and enhance its shelf life.
The potential of the use of the snacks as instant energy food product during military/security operations as well as
food for famished refuges should also be exploited.
To ensure economic viability and sustainability, the production of the snack should include condiments production
from the remnants which accounts for about fifty percent of processing yield.
Authors’ contributions
ITA is the student who carried out the research and wrote the paper. OO is the supervisor who supervised the work all through and
also made sure all necessary corrections were effected. All authors involved in draft manuscript preparation and approved the final
manuscript.
References
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