Effects of Different Drying Methods on Quality Parameters of Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Obtained from the Local Market of Bangladesh

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of various drying methods on quality parameters such as proximate composition, rehydration characteristics, total volatile basic Nitrogen (TVB-N), and consumer acceptance of tilapia. Three different types of dryers, viz., ring tunnel dryer (RTD), oven dryer (OD), and smoke dryer (SD), were used for a specific period. The proximate composition of dried tilapia varied from each drying method. The moisture content of SD samples (25.33%) contains more moisture than others, while significantly lower moisture contents were observed in RTD. High protein levels (62.81%) and (61.69%) were found in a sample obtained from OD and RTD, respectively. The protein content was significantly (P≤0.05) reduced in SD tilapia (54.35%). The higher lipid contents found in RTD and OD samples were 7.48% and 7.49%, respectively. The highest ash contents were recorded in RTD (14.89%). TVB-N content ranged between 7.03 to 7.45 mg/100 g, and the lowest TVB-N value was observed in RTD products. The RTD products hold more water, and the rehydration rate was faster than others. The sensory characteristics of dried tilapia obtained from RTD had better in terms of odor, color, texture, and general appearance, except the texture of SD products, was found to be better as compared to others. Overall, the results demonstrated that RTD products compete with SD with few exceptions RTD would be the better choice for tilapia drying.