International Journal Of Scientific Research And Education ||Volume||3||Issue||9||Pages-4537-4544||October-2015|| ISSN (e): 2321-7545 Website: http://ijsae.in DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18535/ijsre/v3i10.06 Mu’azu, M. Mu’azu ,Omojowo, F. Samuel IJSRE Volume 3 Issue 10 October 2015 Page 4537 Comparative Analysis of The Effect of Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulphate And Sodium Benzoate on The Quality And Shelf – Life of Smoked Fish (Hemisynodontis membraneceous) Authors Mu’azu, M. Mu’azu 1 ,Omojowo, F. Samuel 2 1,2 National Institute For Freshwater Fisheries Research (NIFFR), P.M.B 6006, New Bussa, Niger State, Nigeria 1 E – Mail: muazu42@gmail.com +91 9717724889, +2348067631231 ABSTRACT A comparative analysis of the preservative effect of citric acid, sodium metabisulphate and sodium benzoate on the microbial load, quality and shelf – life of smoked Synodontis haemomembraneus was carried out for a period of 4 weeks. Concentrations of 2.5% and 5% were prepared from these preservatives and treated for duration of 10 minutes in each case. All samples were smoked for 8 hours and kept at room temperature in polyethene bags for quality and shelf – life studies for a period of 4 weeks. Result showed a general drop in total viable bacterial count and staphylococcus aureus counts respectively by all three preservatives. Citric acid had the highest bacterial count drop with more activity in the highest concentration (5%). Sodium metabisulphide showed a remarkable performance in the bacteriological analysis of Staphylococcus aureus, with a low log value of 2.64 ± 0.02, even at the 4 th week of storage. There was significant difference between citric acid treatment at 5% concentration and all controls of weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4, with respect to total viable bacteria count net reduction. There was however, no significant difference between citric acid treatments and sodium metabisulphide treatments, both at 5% concentrations. Organoleptic analysis showed the panelists advocating for the citric acid treatments after four weeks of storage with a percentage of 64.4% over other treatments and control, owing to its consistency, tangy taste, rigid and wholesome texture and appearance. At the end of the storage period, citric acid, sodium metabisulphate and sodium benzoate had average extended shelf – lives of 21 days against the control of 15 days. This showed the potentials in the antioxidative effect of these preservatives in delaying post-harvest loss of quality and deterioration. Major findings of the study revealed the high preservative effect of citric acid and sodium metabisulphide in improving the bacteriological quality and shelf – life of smoked Synodontis haemomembraneus. Keywords: shelf - life, preservative, concentrations, Quality, Synodontis haemomembraneus