Proximate composition of nutrients in fresh adult catfishes: Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, Heterobranchus bidorsalis and Clarias gariepinus in Yenagoa, Nigeria

The evaluation of nutrient composition in adult Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus (CN), Clarias gariepinus (CG) andHeterobranchus bidorsalis (HB) was determined on wet basis. A total of 60 samples (weight: 500g – 1kg fish) comprising 20 of each species were gutted, washed, ground and analyzed for moisture, protein, fat, ash and carbohydrate, using standard methods. Results showed the mean values for moisture,  protein and fat as 72.53+0.23 (CG) – 80.73+ 0.23% (HB), 18.20+ 0.13(HB) – 21.37+ 0.13% (CN) and 2.13+ 0.10 (CN) – 7.25 + 0.10% (CG). The carbohydrate and ash values ranged 1.33+ 0.19 (HB) – 2.55+ 0.19% (CG) and 1.63+ 0.09 (HB) – 3.30+ 0.09% (CN). The caloric values for protein was 13.27+ 0.14 (CN) – 17.22+ 0.14 Kcal/100g (CG), fat showed 27.26+ 0.19 (CN) – 57.31+ 0.19 Kcal/100g (CG) and carbohydrate 1.17+ 0.34 (HB) – 1.35+ 0.34 Kcal/100g (CN). The nutrients showed significant differences at p< 0.001 between the fishes examined. These catfishes were observed to contain adequate quality animal protein, fat and ash that would provide appreciable amounts of essential nutrients such as amino acids, fatty acids, minerals and energy to support human health.