International Journal of Aquaculture, 2025, Vol.15, No.1, 1-10 http://www.aquapublisher.com/index.php/ija 8 5 Conclusion This study evaluated the impact of Moringa, Ginger, and their combination on the quality of smoked catfish. The combination of Moringa and Ginger was found to be the most effective in enhancing the nutritional quality, reducing spoilage indicators, and improving sensory attributes. Specifically, the combined treatment resulted in lower moisture content and higher protein levels, indicating better preservation of nutritional value. It also showed the lowest levels of lipid oxidation and protein degradation, along with the best microbial stability. Sensory evaluation revealed that the combination treatment consistently received the highest scores in odour, flavour, taste, texture, appearance, and overall acceptance. These results highlight the effectiveness of Moringa and Ginger as natural preservatives in improving the quality, safety, and consumer appeal of smoked catfish. 6 Recommendations The study suggests that fish processors should use Moringa oleifera seed and Ginger rhizome as natural preservatives for smoked catfish to improve quality, shelf life, and sensory attributes. Further research should explore their effects on different fish species and consumer acceptance. Training programs and regulatory guidelines are also recommended. Natural preservatives combined with either lower levels of synthetic/chemical ones, or with other hurdles, such as non-thermal sterilization processing, modified atmosphere packaging, and edible films and coatings, could also enhance the performance of various natural preservatives. Acknowledgement The authors would like to thank the staff of Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria for their cooperation during to field trial. Authors' Contributions COR and SRS conceived and planned the experiment. All the authors participated in design and coordination. All the authors performed the experiments, contributed to sample preparation, interpreted the results, and took the lead in writing the manuscript. All authors provided critical feedback and helped shape the research, analyze, and write the manuscript. Animal Welfare Statement Ethics approval The authors confirm that the ethical policies of the journal, as noted in the journal authors guide lines, have been adhered to. Approval to perform the research and use animals was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state, Nigeria. Conflict of Interest Disclosure The authors affirm that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. Reference Abdul M.S., and Aktar M., 2011, Changes of nutritional value of three marine dry fishes (Johniusdus sumieri, Harpodon nehereus and Lepturacanthus savala) during storage. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 2: 1082-1087. Akter T., Ahmed A.T.A., Khaleque M.A., Begum M., 2012, Effect of drying on quality of Tengra (Mystus vittatus) treated with turmeric and salt, Unique Research Journal of Biological Science, 1: 1-5. Alex T., and Eagappan k., 2017, An empirical study on the effect of spices and herbs in the shelf life of dried Indian achory fish, IOSR Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science, 10(3): 1-7. https://doi.org/10.9790/2380-1003010107 Bruhn C.M., 2016, Consumer acceptance of high-pressure processed products: american perspective, High Pressure Processing Of Food: Principles, Technology and Applications, 2016: 733-742. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3234-4_31 Campos C.A., Castro M.P., Aubourg S.P., Velázquez J.B., 2012, Novel technologies in food science, Springer: New York, 30: 1-7. EFSA, 2016, Panel on dietetic products, nutrition and allergies, scientific opinion on health benefits of seafood (fish and shellfish) consumption in relation to health risks associated with exposure to methylmercury, EFSA J., 12: 3761. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2014.3761
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