Nutritional, microbial and various quality aspects of common dried fish from commercial fish drying centers in Bangladesh

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nutritional, microbial and sensory quality of five dried fish species from five fish drying centers in Bangladesh, and consumers' perception on quality and perceived health problems of consuming dried fish. Proximate composition and bacterial load were determined following AOAC and total plate count method, respectively. Data on peoples' perception regarding the quality aspects of dried fish were collected using a structured questionnaire. Sensory analysis showed samples from Cox's Bazar had higher acceptability than other regions. Moisture content ranged from 12.00 +/- 1.12% to 22.99 +/- 1.09%, the highest found in Bombay duck from Patuakhali. The highest values of protein were found in shrimp from Chittagong (64.33 +/- 0.99%) and the lowest in Bombay duck from Bhola (51.80 +/- 0.95%). The lipid content varied from 5.38 +/- 0.37% (Bombay duck from Cox's Bazar) to 8.67 +/- 0.96% (Bombay duck from Khulna). The ash content was ranged from 13.89 +/- 0.94% to 20.07 +/- 1.64% in Bombay duck from Patuakhali and Cox's Bazar. The mean total plate count of dried Bombay duck were 7.1 +/- 0.2x107, 9.8 +/- 0.1x107 and 7.8 +/- 0.52 x 107 cfu/g, whereas, total Vibrio spp. count were estimated 1.1 +/- 0.1x103, 3.7 +/- 0.2x105 and 1.8 +/- 0.1 x 105 cfu/g for Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Bhola, respectively. The pathogenic bacterial species E. coli and Salmonella sp. were absent in dried Bombay duck from all locations. Of 500 respondents, the majority (94.8%) reported no complications after consuming dried fish. Significant quality variation among the dried fish samples suggested further improvement in dried fish quality through maintaining hygiene and sanitation to produce quality and safe dried fish for the consumers in home and abroad.