Md.

Masud Rana
Lecturer
Dept. of Fishing & Post Harvest Technology
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University
Dhaka-1207

Chapter-02

Fish as food, physical structure of fish, fish spoilage

Food vs Fish as Food
➢ Any substances consisting essentially of protein, carbohydrate, fat, and other nutrients used
in the body of an organism to sustain growth and vital processes and to furnish energy.
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for an organism. Food is
usually of plant, animal or fungal in origin, and contains essential nutrients, such
as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals.
➢ Globally, fish and fish products provide an average of only about 34 calories per capita per
day. However more than as an energy source, the dietary contribution of fish is significant
in terms of high-quality, easily digested animal proteins and especially in fighting
micronutrient deficiencies.
➢ Fish proteins are essential in the diet of some densely populated countries where the total
protein intake is low, and are particularly important in diets in small island developing
States (SIDS).
➢ Intermediate Technology Publications wrote in 1992 that "Fish provides a good source of
high-quality protein and contains many vitamins and minerals. It may be classed as either
whitefish, oily fish, or shellfish. Whitefish, such as haddock and seer, contain very little fat
(usually less than 1%) whereas oily fish, such as sardines, contain between 10–25%. The
latter, as a result of its high fat content, contain a range of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E
and K) and essential fatty acids, all of which are vital for the healthy functioning of the
body.
➢ The four major constituents in the edible portion of fish are water, protein, lipid (fat or oil)
and ash (minerals). The analysis of these four basic constituents of fish muscle is often
referred to as proximate analysis.
Proximate composition of fish
Moisture 65-90%
Protein 10-22%
Lipid 0.5-20%
Ash 0.5-5%
Carbohydrate 0.3-3%

Fish Supply
➢ Nutrients (Vit. & Minerals)
➢ Energy
➢ Meal
➢ Enzymes
➢ Less connective tissue
➢ Easily digestible

*****Fish as food, Justify your answer*****

Basic structure of fish muscle

• The structure of fish muscle is very simple. Basically, there are two bundles of muscles on
each side of the vertebral column and each of the bundles is further separated into an upper
mass above the horizontal axial septum and a ventral mass below this septum.
• Fish muscle tissue contains less connective tissue than mammalian muscle. It is composed
of striated muscle.
• A muscle cell consists of sarcoplasma containing nuclei, glycogen grains, mitochondria etc
and a number of (up to 1000) myofibrils.
• The muscle cells run in a longitudinal direction separated perpendicularly by sheets of
connective tissues (myocomata) are called myotomes or myomere.
• The connective tissue which is attached to the skeleton and to the skin consists of sheets of
collagen, is called myocomata and the sections of blocks and associated connective tissue
sheets are visible to the naked eyes.
• If the muscle is examined microscopically, it is seem to consist of muscle fibres of between
150 and 300 micro meter in diameter, surrounded by connective tissue which is continuous
with the main connective tissue sheets.
• Further magnification shows that these muscle fibres consist of smaller fibres or myofibrils,
10-20 micro meter in diameter.
• Each myofibril is divided lengthwise into a large number of identical units called
sarcomeres these contain molecules of the main contractile protein, actin (thin filament)
and myosin (thick filament), the minor associated protein troponin and tropomyosin,
enzymes such as myosin ATPase and many other components.
• These proteins or filament are arranged in a characteristic alternating way making the
muscle striated upon microscopic examination. Contraction is the basic function of living
contractile muscles which is the result of series of metabolic reactions take place in living
tissue
 Characteristic Dark White
ATPase rate slow fastest
Ca++ cycling slow fast
mitochondria lots few
capillaries lots few
aerobic (oxidative) enzymes high low
anaerobic (glycolytic) enzymes low high
myoglobin lots little
glycogen High low
fatigue resistant non-resistant
function endurance bursts

**Sprinting vs Cruising muscle?

Fish Muscle

Fish Spoilage (Post Harvest Loss)

➢ Spoilage is usually accompanied by change in physical characteristics. Change in color,
odor, texture, color of eyes, color of gills and softness of the muscle are some of the
characteristics observed in spoiled fish.
➢ Spoiled fish is unsafe for human consumption
➢ Spoilage is caused by the action of enzymes, bacteria and chemicals present in the fish.
➢ Undesirable changes take place
➢ Production of obnoxious odor
Prevention of fish spoilage?
➢ Time control
➢ Temperature control
➢ Environmental control
➢ Microbial control
➢ Management (Handling and Transportation)