Comparative Study Of Moisture Content In Some Commercially Important Food Fishes Of The Kashmir Valley

Abstract

Fish is considered one of the best sources of animal protein among food animals because of its high nutritional value and palatability. Owing to its importance as a food commodity, the assessment of the biochemical composition of different fish species, sizes, body regions, and their variations is of considerable significance. The present study aimed to comparatively assess the moisture content of six commercially important food fishes of the Kashmir Valley. Live specimens were collected during the early morning hours in collaboration with local fishermen and transported to the Fish Nutrition Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kashmir. The length and weight of each fish were recorded prior to processing. The fishes were then dissected, and the internal organs, head, and other non-edible portions were removed. Samples were collected from different body regions, including anterior dorsal (AD) and anterior ventral (AV) regions, for the estimation of moisture content. Among the samples analysed, the highest moisture content was recorded in Schizothorax plagiostomus, with the anterior ventral (AV) region showing a value of 82.44%, whereas the lowest moisture content was recorded in Schizothorax esocinus, with a value of 74.23% in the anterior dorsal (AD) region. Overall, ventral samples exhibited slightly higher moisture content than dorsal samples in both species. The findings demonstrate variation in moisture composition among fish species and body regions, which may have implications for their nutritional quality and food value.