Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

QUALITY CHARACTERIZATION OF MARKET AVAILABLE INDIAN BUTTER CATFISH (OMPOK BIMACULATUS) IN TRIPURA, INDIA

Jag Pal and A.U. Muzaddadi

Abstract

Indian butter catfish also known as pabda, is very popular among the people of Tripura, India. Due to its taste, good nutritional quality, pin-boneless buttery flesh, this fish is a delicacy fetching very high market price in the state. The present investigation was taken to access the microbiological and biochemical parameters of iced butter catfish from three different markets of Agartala in reference with the limits established by various International and National bodies for fish. The result of study showed that the protein (15.7-17.7%), ash (0.47-0.91%) and pH (5.1-8.4) values did not showed any significant difference (P>0.05) for fish samples collected from different fish markets whereas, the other biochemical parameters including moisture (73.3-79.3%), lipids (4.9-6.5%) and freshness indices (TVB-N, FFA, AAN, PV and TBA) showed the significant differences (P<0.05). The quality of pabda fish marketed at Lake Chowmuhuni fish market, Agartala was of relatively inferior quality to that of the fish collected from other two other markets such a Battala and Maharajganj, Agartla. Overall quality of the fish from the all these markets did not showed significant differences. Among the microbial parameters Total Plate Count (TPC) value, psychrophilic bacterial count and coliform counts showed almost significant differences (P<0.05) among the samples from all these 3 markets, high TPC (5.19-8.60 log cfu g-1), Total Coliform Count (4.04-11.63 log cfu g-1), Total Faecal Coliform Count (2.73-5.60 log cfu g-1) and Psychropilic Bacterial Counts (7.05-7.71 log cfu g-1) were recorded in all the samples. The study underlines the urgent need of the improvement in fish handling and transportation system for ensuring food safety and public health concerns.