Volume 3 • Issue 3 • 1000199 J Nutr Food Sci ISSN: 2155-9600 JNFS, an open access journal Open Access Research Article Iheagwara, J Nutr Food Sci 2013, 3:3 DOI: 10.4172/2155-9600.1000199 *Corresponding author: Marcquin Chibuzo Iheagwara, Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, PMB 1526 Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria, Tel: +2348032922630; E-mail: marcquin.iheagwara@futo.edu.ng Received March 10, 2013; Accepted March 18, 2013; Published March 20, 2013 Citation: Iheagwara MC (2013) Effect of Ginger Extract on Stability and Sensorial Quality of Smoked Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) Fish. J Nutr Food Sci 3: 199. doi:10.4172/2155-9600.1000199 Copyright: © 2013 Iheagwara MC, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Effect of Ginger Extract on Stability and Sensorial Quality of Smoked Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) Fish Marcquin Chibuzo Iheagwara* Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria Abstract The effect of ginger extract on the stability and sensorial quality of smoked mackerel fsh stored at 28 ± 2°C was determined over 20 days. Chemical, microbiological and sensory analyses were performed to investigate quality changes, and to determine the shelf stability of the products. The proximate, thiobarbituric acid (TBA) value, peroxide value (PV), mould count, and trimethylamine (TMA) were found statistically signifcant (P ≤ 0.05), in the smoked mackerel fsh throughout storage. Protein, fat and ash contents of the ginger extract treated samples had marked % increase compared to the control. The lowest TBA (0.08 mg MDA/kg), peroxide (4.50 mEq/kg) and TMA (3.46 mg N/100 g) values were recorded in 5% ginger extract treated samples, while the highest TBA (1.45 mg MDA/ kg), PV(30.07 mEq/kg) and TMA (15.52 mg N/100 g) occurred in the control. The result also revealed that samples treated with ginger extract had lower mould count than the control. The organoleptic results showed that samples treated with 5% ginger extract had the best acceptance, and were signifcantly different (P ≤ 0.05), when compared to the control after 10 days of storage. Keywords: Smoked mackerel fsh; Ginger; Stability; Quality; Lipid oxidation; Tiobarbituric acid; Peroxide; Storage Introduction Fish constitutes a very important component of diet for many people, and ofen provides much needed nutrients for a healthy living. Fish serves as a principal source of dietary protein, which is very inexpensive in relation to other protein foods [1]. It is the characteristics of fsh as a cheap source of animal protein, which is now evident throughout the world that makes it an excellent component of human diet. Fish protein now takes precedence over other protein of animal origin, and compares favorably with that of milk, egg and meat in its amino acid composition. It is this quality that makes fsh protein to be practically indispensable to developing countries, such as Nigeria, for diet supplementation, where the staple diet or food consist primarily of starchy foods [2]. Besides, fsh is known to contain a very high quality of fats and oil, and fsh fat is very high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are very important in lowering blood cholesterol level. Te fsh oil, on the other hand, contains the fat soluble vitamins. Fish is also a very good source of thiamine and ribofavin, and contains minerals, phosphatids sterols, enzymes, hormones, hydrocarbons and pigments [3,4]. However, fsh is an extremely perishable food commodity, and hence, is subject to post harvest losses ranging from bacterial and autolytic spoilage to other factors. Tese causes cause fsh to lose its organoleptic qualities, and generally unacceptable for human consumption. It is this perishability of fsh that makes it to be processed into fsh based products, such as smoked and canned fsh, fsh cake, fsh meal, fsh burger, etc. [5]. Fish smoking is one of the traditional methods of preservation of fsh in Africa. Smoke curing, as applied to fsh, is a method of preservation efected by combination of drying and the deposition of naturally produced chemicals, resulting from the thermal breakdown of wood [6]. Dried fsh spoilage has been characterized by reddening, browning, or other discoloration mould attack, and development of rancidity. Te use of synthetic antioxidant has been very efective in controlling rancidity. However, synthetic antioxidants have frequently been associated with certain health problems [7]. Tis has necessitated the use of natural antioxidants, such as spices, in the prevention of rancidity in smoked fsh [8,9]. Spices (ginger, onion, garlic, etc.) are edible plant materials that possess anti-oxidant, antiseptic and bateriostatic properties. Tey are added to foods to delay onset of deterioration, such as rancidity, and also function as seasonings to foods as well as impart favor to the foods [10]. Ginger as a spice has a geographical spread that covers every part of the globe and it is consumed whole as a delicacy, used in traditional oriental medicine, or as spice in foods, such as fsh [11-13]. Ginger contains spectra of biologically active compounds, such as curcumin, 6-gingerol, 6-shagaols, zingiberene, bisabolene and several other types of lipids that confer on it, the properties of being pungent and a stimulant. Tese compounds are responsible for the unique aroma and favour of ginger, and account for about 1-3% of the weight of fresh ginger [13]. Tis present study is designed to investigate the efect of ginger extract in improving the stability and organoleptic quality of smoked mackerel fsh. Materials and Methods Materials Te raw whole mackerel fsh (Scomber scombrus) used for the study was bought from a cold store in Owerri market, and identifed at the Department of Fisheries and Aquacultural Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri. Te spice used is extract from ginger (Zingiber ofcinalae) rhizomes. All chemicals used were of analytical grade. Generation of samples One hundred and eighty (180) fsh samples with weight ranging from 220-250 g were selected for the study. Each of the raw whole Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences J o u r n a l o f N u t r i t i o n & Fo o d S c i e n c e s ISSN: 2155-9600