PROXIMATE COMPOSITION AND NUTRIENT RETENTION OF SOME SELECTED COMMERCIAL SEAFOOD FROM IBAKA AND ITU FISHING SETTLEMENTS, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract This study investigates the proximate composition and nutrient retention of selected commercial seafood species; the Bonga shad (Ethmalosa fimbriata), Bobo Croaker (Pseudotolithus elongatus), Perewinkle (Tympanotonus fuscatus), and Blue crab (Callinectes amnicola) from Ibaka and Itu fishing settlements in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Samples were randomly collected, preserved on ice, and analyzed in two forms (raw and smoked) at Ritman University Laboratory. Results showed that smoking significantly (p < 0.05) increased protein, lipid, and carbohydrate contents across all species, while moisture content decreased markedly. The highest protein content was observed in smoked P. elongatus (60.55 ± 0.04%) and smoked E. fimbriata (60.08 ± 0.01%). Moisture was significantly higher (p