Assessment of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) Bark Extract on Proximate Composition and Sensory Qualities of Smoked-Dried African Catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

The study determined the effect of Cinnamon (Cinnamonum verum) bark extract solution on proximate composition and sensory evaluation of smoke-dried catfish stored at ambient temperature (37+2oC) for 28 days. The experimental treatments are the control, 0.5%, 1% and 1.5 %( w/v) cinnamon bark extract solutions. Thirty-nine fish of average mean weight of 24.87+1.25g were gutted, washed and randomly assigned to the treatments. Thereafter, the fish were soaked into the treatments for 30minutes and later hot smoked for 12hours. After smoking, the fish were stored in boxes and placed on laboratory table for one month. The catfish Clarias gariepinus treated with 1% solution of Cinnamon bark extract had the highest moisture content with mean value 13.65+0.82%, followed by 6.93+1.66% recorded in fish sample treated with 1.5% solution of the extract, lowest percentage crude protein content 38.15+0.82% was observed in fish treated with 1% concentrate of the extract and percentage carbohydrate content indicate that the control have the lowest carbohydrate content with mean value 1.92+0.01% which is significantly different (p<0.05) from other treated sample while sample treated with 1.5% solution of the Cinnamon bark extract have the highest percentage carbohydrate with mean value 15.73+1.64%.Sensory evaluation was also assessed using 7-point hedonic scale and reveals that the smoked catfish retained very good score for appearance, colour, flavour, texture and general acceptance after 28days of storage and the overall acceptability mean score in fish treated with 5g and 15g cinnamon bark extract solution indicate the product is being generally accepted (2.87+0.59%) and (2.34+0.56%) respectively. Cinnamon (Cinnamonum verum) bark extract solution could be used to protect stored smoke-dried catfish from loss of nutritional value and general acceptability thus limiting economic loss and possible health risk to consumers.