Microbial and proximate analysis of sea food exposed to different preservation techniques

The study examined the microbial load of bacteria and fungi of samples stored from 0- 10 days. The study samples were subjected to proximate analysis. The study showed at day zero that fish was the highest having moisture content of 71.43%, while periwinkle had ash content of 4.62%. Shrimps was the least having 0.74% of ash. Periwinkle had crude protein of 53.1% and carbohydrate of 24.09. The result for minerals shows that all the samples were high in mineral content. Fish was highest in Calcium (Ca) 52.67, Magnesium (Mg) 63.18, Potassium (K) 64.72 while Periwinkle was lowest in Zinc (Zn) 0.48, Iron (Fe) 2.47 and Calcium (Ca) 36.42. Finally Shrimps was lowest in Magnesium with 31.78% respectively, however there is a reduction in all the proximate analysis carried out from day 0 to day 10 in carbohydrate, crude protein and crude lipid. Thus, reduction in water activity as a result of smoking fish slow down spoilage and extend shelf life of the sample. In the samples treated, smoking have been shown to be more effective in the preservation than Refrigeration.