British Journal of Poultry Sciences 3 (3): 49-61, 2014 ISSN 1995-901X © IDOSI Publications, 2014 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.bjps.2014.3.3.856 Corresponding Author: Jamila Patterson, Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, Tuticorin Tamil Nadu, India. 49 Quality Characteristics of Traditionally Sundried Fishes for Poultry Feed in Tuticorin, South East Coast of India K. Immaculate Jeyasanta, S.I. Jeyanth Allwin and Jamila Patterson Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, Tuticorin Tamil Nadu, India Abstract: Bycatches were dried unhygenically and transported to other states for poultry feed from Tuticorin coast. There are more than 25 species of bycatches are used for sun drying for poultry feed. Feed farmers purchase low cost trash fishes discarded in the fish landing regions for poultry feed preparation and transfer it through unhygienically in trucks to the local drying area. Fishes were dried on sandy floor without washing, degutting, salting and implementing any hygienic measures to avoid the intact of natural contaminants like insects or dust. The semi-dried fishes were packed in gunny packs and taken to dry fish wholesale market by the dry fish farmers or other middlemen involved in dry fish marketing. The chemical composition and qualities such as moisture, protein, lipid, ash, peroxide value, total volatile base nitrogen content and microbiological properties were analyzed. Moisture content was above the acceptable limit in 18 species of fishes. Protein and lipid content of dried fish samples was lower with the range of 4.85 to 11. 20% and 0.02 - 1.88%, respectively. Ash content was found to be highest in all the fish samples (10.91 - 25.02%). Peroxide and Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen (TVB-N)value of the fish samples were found above the acceptable limit of 10 - 20meq/kg of fat and up to 30 mg/100g, respectively. Bacterial count was found higher, however Salmonella and Coliform was found in most of the dried fish samples. Organoleptic quality of the dried fish samples was found very bad with objectionable flavor, odor and insect infestations. Extension work are needed to develop hygienically dried fishes with good nutritive value improve economic value in commercialized markets. Key words: Traditional Dried Fishes Organoleptic Quality Proximate Composition Peroxide Value Bacterial Count INTRODUCTION market [3]. Varieties of fishes were unhygenically dried Fish is an extremely perishable food item and require consumption but also used in other commercial small preservation. Several methods are followed over the world scale industries like aqua feed and poultry feed for preserving fish to extend its shelf life including drying, preparations [4]. Sun drying of fishes for human salting and smoking [1]. These fish products are having consumption is carried out by drying the fishes on the great economic importance and the demands for such rack or hanging method using energy of the sun to products are increasing. Fish quality is a complex concept evaporate the water and air currents to carry away the involving a whole range of factors which for the consumer vapor. But drying of fishes for poultry feed by open air on include safety, nutritional quality, availability, the sandy floor was done without limited condition. convenience, integrity, freshness, organoleptic quality Higher level of concentration was given on the and the obvious physical attributes of the species, size hygienicity of the drying process of fishes for human and product type [2]. Drying is regarded as a traditional consumption than the fishes dried for poultry feed. It has and primitive method of fish preservation and the method been reported that contaminated feeds affects the chicken varies from species to species, region to region. However, immune system and also act as a carrier for transferring around 20% of the artisanal catch is being dried by disease to consumers. A major problem associated with traditional sun drying methods and used in the poultry unhygienic sun drying of fish is the infestation of the and these dry fishes were not only used for human