Nutritional and microbiological quality of smoked sardinella (Sardinella aurita) canned in olive oil

Round sardinella have an important role in food security due to their abundance, low purchase price and nutritional quality. Despite its economic and social importance in Senegal, the sardinella fishery faces a multitude of problems that could compromise the development of the sector, and the food and nutritional security of the people who consume it. The aim of this study was to contribute to the valorization of round sardinella by developing smoked canned sardinella and then improving its availability and creating added value. Fresh round sardinella purchased on the “Yarakh” fish landing ground (Dakar) were used for the cans production. Fresh round sardinellas are decontaminated by removing heads, scales and viscera, then trimmed by opening them in a “wallet” to wash them. The washed sardinellas are then salted brine (5%) before being smoked at 85oC. The smoked sardinellas are then stored in canning jars, before the olive oil is added. The canned sardinella were sterilized at 121oC for 20 min. The physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of fresh and smoked canned sardinella were assessed. The chemical analysis showed an increase in proteins from 22.4 to 26.7% and lipids from 10.1to 13.1%, respectively, in fresh and canned sardinella. The canned sardinella had higher mineral values than the fresh sardinella, with iron, iodine, potassium and calcium contents of 2.51 mg/100 g, 0.07 mg/kg, 378 mg/100 g and 610 mg/100 g, respectively. For minerals, a significant increase (p<0.05) was noted in the iron content going from 1.78 to 2.51 mg/100 g, in the iodine content from 0.03 to 0.07 mg/kg and the calcium content increase from 382 to 611 mg/100 g. These nutrient values make smoked canned sardinella a potentially beneficial food and could be another way for preventing malnutrition through a dietary approach. The microbiological analyses showed that fresh and canned sardinella have a satisfactory microbiological quality according to the microbiological requirements for fishery and aquaculture products. The quality of the raw material and the use of good manufacturing practice during production can ensure the safety of canned products. The yield of smoked sardinella was 29.3% of fresh sardinella. Hopefully commercialization of smoked canned sardinella can lead to the increased availability of nutritious food in Senegal. Key words: round sardinella, sardinella aurita, canned fish, iron, iodine, calcium, Senegal