Some aspects of nutritional compositions of freshwater catfishes genus Hemibagrus (Bleeker)

Abstract

Genus Hemibagrus or freshwater catfish is the most important food fishes and locally known as "Baung". The objectives of this study were to analyze the proximate compositions of Malaysian bagrid catfishes of the genus Hemibagrus and to compare the differences of nutritional value among the catfishes. The proximate compositions of Hemibagrus spp. were determined using standard method of analysis. The moisture content of the Hemibagrus bleekeri, Hemibagrus gracilis and Hemibagrus wyckii fillets ranged from 78.2 to 81.5% of fresh weight. There was no significant difference among the species in term of water content in the flesh. The proximate analysis revealed that the protein content of Hemibagrus bleekeri, Hemibagrus gracilis, and Hemibagrus wyckii was 16.2, 15.7, and 16.6% of dry weight, respectively. For the protein analysis, there was a significant difference among the Clarias batrachus-Hemibagrus bleekeri, Clarias batrachus-Hemibagrus wyckii and also between Hemibagrus gracilis-Hemibagrus wyckii. The total lipid content was generally high, ranging from 6.8 to 7.5% and crude ash ranged from 5.1 to 5.7%. The significant difference of ash analysis was shown among the Clarias batrachus and Hemibagrus spp, while the significant difference in lipid analysis was shown in Hemibagrus bleekeri-Hemibagrus wyckii and Hemibagrus gracilis-Hemibagrus wyckii.