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Thermal Fingerprinting and Nutritional Profiling of Freshwater Fish Muscle: A Comparative Thermogravimetric and Calorimetric Study
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S. Nousheen   , I. Amir * , H. Bukhat , U. Farooq , Sh. Rubab , A. Zeeshanullah |
| Fisheries Research Lab, Department of Zoology, University of Mianwali, Mianwali, Punjab, Pakistan |
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Abstract: (5 Views) |
The nutritional composition and thermal degradation behavior of freshwater fish muscle are important characteristics for understanding changes in fish tissues during thermal processing. Although the proximate composition of freshwater fish has been extensively studied, comparative information on the thermal stability and degradation behavior of muscle components remains limited. This study characterized the proximate composition and thermal properties of 30 fish representing 10 freshwater species (three biological replicates per species) collected from Chashma Lake and the Indus River, Pakistan. Dorsal muscle samples were separated, oven-dried at 60 °C for 48 h, finely ground, and analyzed for proximate composition and thermal properties using simultaneous thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (TGA/DSC). Significant interspecific differences were observed for all measured parameters (p < 0.001). Moisture, crude protein, crude lipid, and ash contents ranged from 71.80–77.30%, 16.10–20.50%, 2.80–6.80%, and 1.22–3.10%, respectively. Chitala chitala and Hypophthalmichthys nobilis had comparatively higher protein and lipid contents. The principal stage of thermal degradation occurred between 180 and 400 °C, with species-specific differences in degradation patterns. Cirrhinus mrigala exhibited a comparatively slower mass decline and retained a greater proportion of residual char during this stage. The highest enthalpy value was recorded for H. nobilis (16,824 J/g), indicating greater energy absorption during thermal degradation under the experimental conditions. Cirrhinus reba (26.54%) and Oreochromis mossambicus (26.21%) showed the highest residual mass, which was associated with their comparatively higher ash contents. Significant relationships were also observed between proximate composition and thermal characteristics. Overall, the combined application of proximate analysis and TGA/DSC provided a useful approach for differentiating the nutritional composition and thermal degradation characteristics of freshwater fish muscle.
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| Keywords: Freshwater Fish, Meat, Proximate composition, Thermal stability, TGA/DSC |
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Full-Text [PDF 1156 kb]
(6 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
General
Received: 2026/08/18 | Accepted: 2027/04/30
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