EFFECT OF TRADITIONAL PROCESSING METHODS ON THE LIPID PROFILES OF SELECTED FISH SPECIES FROM DOMA RIVER, NASARAWA STATE

Fish is a vital source of high-quality protein and essential nutrients, but traditional processing methods can significantly influence its lipid composition and nutritional value. This study aims to evaluate the effect of smoking, sun-drying and salting-oven dry on the fatty acid and phospholipid compositions of selected three fish species Hyperopisus bebe, Hepsetus odoe and Clarias gariepinus from the Doma River. The sun-drying process lasted eight days under ambient sunlight (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.), smoking was conducted using hardwood-fired ovens at temperatures above 70 °C for two consecutive days, while salting involved preservation in a 1:4 salt-to-fish ratio prior to oven drying. Processed samples were ground into fine powder and analyzed. Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) and phospholipids were analyzed using gas chromatography. The results revealed notable differences across processing techniques. Smoked samples retained higher levels of PUFA, particularly essential fatty acids such as DHA and EPA. Phosphatidylcholine was the most abundant phospholipid detected, with smoking maintaining higher overall phospholipid integrity compared to drying and sun-drying. Among the fatty acids, smoking yielded the highest PUFA/SFA ratio (32.25 %) indicating better nutritional quality. In conclusion, smoking appears to be the most effective method for preserving health-beneficial lipids in fish from the Doma River.