Determination of Moisture Content and Water Reconstitution Capacity of Some Commercially Available Dried Marine Species in Bangladesh

A study was conducted to assess the moisture content and water reconstitution capacity (WRC) of some marine dried fishes collected from the local market of Dhaka City, Bangladesh. These two parameters were chosen for the current study as they are crucial index for microbial spoilage as well as quality and functionality of dry fish, especially for consumer acceptability, cooking performance, and market value. Among a large number of marine dried fish species, eight, viz., Bagda (Penaeus monodon), Loitta (Harpadon nehereus), Mola (Stolephorus commersonnii), Alufa (Albula oligolepis), Rupchanda (Pampus chinensis), Kalochanda (Parastromateus niger), Ekchoka (Hyporhamphus limbatus), and Churi (Trichiurus lepturus), were chosen for the present study considering their availability and economic importance. The range of moisture content in these samples was from 13.41% to 23.21%. The highest moisture content was obtained in dried P. monodon (23.21%) from the market, and the lowest value was in dried Churi (13.41%). In comparison to other species, the moisture content of dried P. monodon, H. limbatus, and P. niger exceeded the acceptable limit for dried fish. The pattern and capacity of water rehydration at 25°C and 50°C temperatures varied considerably. At 25°C, maximum reconstitution capacity obtained from P. monodon ranged from 71.20% to 94.43%, whereas the minimum value obtained from H. nehereus ranged from 1.51% to 11.23%. Dried P. monodon again performed best at 50°C, while P. niger had the lowest.