LIPID PEROXIDATION IN SMOKE-DRIED AFRICAN CATFISH TREATED WITH Moringa oleifera MARINADE, SALT OR BUTYLATED HYDROXYL ANISOLE

Sa？etak Smoke-dried fish is vulnerable to lipid peroxidation, which can reduce product quality and pose health risks to consumers. The study examined the antioxidant potency of Moringa oleifera marinade on oxidative stabilityof smoke-dried catfish in comparison with salt and Butylated hydroxyl anisole (BHA), a synthetic antioxidant. Seventy-two catfish (208±6 g) were processed, randomly assigned to six antioxidant treatment groups and hotsmoked. The treatments are the control (0%), 1%, 2% and 3% (w/v) Moringa oleifera marinade (MOM), 5% Brine (w/v) and 0.2% BHA (w/v). Thesmoke-dried fish were stored at room temperature (35±10C) for 8 weeks. Lipid peroxidation was monitored weekly using Thiobarbituric acid (TBA)assay. The results showed that Moringa oleifera marinade and BHA decreased lipid peroxidation more than (p< 0.05) the control (0.94 mg/MDA/kg) and salt (0.92 mg/MDA/kg) treated samples. This was shown by the lower Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) values of 1% MOM(0.44 mg/MDA/kg), 2% MOM (0.88 mg/MDA/kg), 3% MOM (0.85 mg/MDA/kg) and BHA (0.80 mg/MDA/kg) treated samples. A general increase in oxidative spoilage was observed for all treatments as storage time progressed.However, the increment was more (p<0.05) intense in control and salt treated samples. No significant (p>0.05) difference was observedamong all Moringa treated samples and BHA. Moringa oleifera marinade could be used as an alternative to BHA in suppressing lipid peroxidation in smoke-dried African catfish stored for 8 weeks