Freshwater fish technology: utilization of "pacu"(Piaractus mesopotamicus)

Abstract

"Pacu" (Piaractus mesopotamicus), a freshwater fish, was used with the purpose of studying its quality when smoked, salted and dried, and canned. Waste flour was also analysed. Fish from a fish farm of Piracicaba,SP was used. The intended final use was children's school meal. The results of the analysis of the final products for moisture, protein, lipids, ash and NaCl, in percent, were, respectively, 11.36; 52.53; 18.31; 17.76; 16.25 for the salted and dried fish; 70.25; 23.80; 2.69; 3.13; 1.17 for smoked fish; 62.19; 18.59; 14.34; 2.79; 1.29 for canned fish and 15.73; 42.94; 20.91; 20.42 (NaCl not available) for the waste flour. The smoked and the canned fishes were submitted to taste panels. For the canned product the results were: aspect in the can: 89% excellent and 11% good; aspect on plate: 56% excellent and 44% good; odor: 67% excellent and 33% good; taste: 56% excellent, 33% good and 11% regular and texture: 22% excellent, 56% good and 22% regular (none of the above got the not acceptable note). For the smoked fish the results were, aspect: 45% excellent and 55% good; odor: 35% excellent, 60% good and 5% regular; taste: 25% excellent, 55% good and 20% regular and texture: 50% excellent and 50% good (none got not acceptable grade).