Physicochemical and Microbiological Assessment of Fishmeal.

Resumen

Objective: To evaluate the quality of fishmeal obtained from two fish species (trout and carp) through its physicochemical and microbiological characterization, and to verify its compliance with established regulatory standards and its potential use in animal feed.

Design/methodology/approach: The fish samples consisted of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and carp (Cyprinus carpio communis L). The freshness of the raw material was determined, and it was processed to obtain a fishmeal-type product for subsequent physicochemical and microbiological assessment.

Results: The trout and carp used as raw materials for fishmeal production scored 96 and 93.2 respectively, classifying them as top-quality fresh fish. Physicochemical analysis indicated that the moisture and protein content for trout fishmeal was 4.53% and 60.3%, respectively, while for carp fishmeal the moisture and protein content was 6.4% and 53%, respectively. In addition, the microbiological analysis indicated that Salmonella spp. and coliforms were not found in either fishmeal sample, and only low counts of aerobic mesophiles, fungi, and yeasts were present.

Limitations on study/implications: According to the results obtained, the species of fish and processing conditions in the production of fishmeal influence the physicochemical and microbiological properties, which suggests consideration in future research.

Findings/conclusions: The fishmeal obtained from trout and carp complied with the regulatory framework in terms of microbiological and physicochemical profile, with potential use in animal feed.