Comparing Smoked Fish Quality of Traditional and Improved Modern Ovens Using Dendro-Energy from Mangrove and Tropical Forest Woods and Implications for Conservation in Central African Atlantic Coast, Cameroon

Abstract

Smoked fish qualitative organoleptic parameters (color, smell, texture and taste) and quantitative proximate parameters (protein and ash content and salt mineral: Ca, Iron, Mg, Zn content in ash) of two species (Ethmalosa fimbriata and Pseudotolithus elongatus) smoked in traditional and modern ovens with wood from mangrove (Rhizophora racemosa) and two tropical forest (Sacoglottis gabonensis and Albizia glaberrina) species in Douala-Edea Atlantic coast, Cameroon are presented. Women processors significantly spend more time, consume more wood and consequently release significant amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to the environment with traditional smoking system. Organoleptic characteristics were significantly different with ovens types but not with different wood species except color (black and marron from inland forest wood species and preferred brownish and golden brown colored smoked fish from mangrove wood). Fish food constituents yielded for improved smoked oven:  Protein content (65.52%; 69.45%), ash content (6.21%; 5.57%) and traditional oven: Protein content (70.65%; 75.00%), ash content (5.73%; 6.33%) for Ethmalosa fimbriata and Pseudotolithus elongatus respectively. Results also confirmed good dietary quality of fish samples (source of calcium, iron and magnesium). Some energy efficient management techniques and conservation implications were proposed regarding qualitative and quantitative improvement of smoked fish.