Size measurements, anatomical composition and proximate composition of Horse eye mackerel fish (Caranax carangus) were carried out. The mean values of length (cm) and weight (g) were 21.79~c 1.76 and 87.96 ~c 21.4 respectively. Anatomical fractionation showed that the fish samples contained on the average 45.8% fillet, 17.75% head, 25.98% body frame and 6.12% gut. The proximate composition analysis showed that the fish sample contained 77.2% water content, 0.4% lipid, 20.63% protein and 1.67% ash. Horse eye mackerel fish thus constitutes a source of high protein as well as an ideal dietetic fish food

Abraham-Olukayode, O.A.

Adejonwo, O.A.

Kolade, O.Y.

Oramadike, C.E.

Aquatic Commons

  
FSN-FB 0004 
 
BODY CHARACTERISTICS, YIELD INDICES AND PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF 
HORSE EYE MACKEREL FISH (Caranax carangus) 
 
KOLADE O.Y, ADEJONWO O.A, ORAMADIKE C.E, ABRAHAM-OLUKAYODE O.A. 
Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research Victoria Island Lagos. 
 
 
Copyright 2010, Fisheries Society of Nigeria. 
 
This paper was prepared for presentation at the 25
th
 Annual International 
Conference and Exhibition in Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), 
Topo-Badagry, Lagos, Nigeria, 25
th
 – 29
th
 October, 2010. 
  
This paper was selected for presentation by an FISON Program Committee 
following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the 
author(s). Contents of the paper, as presented, have not been reviewed by the 
Fisheries Society of Nigeria and are subject to correction by the author(s). The 
material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any position of the Fisheries 
Society of Nigeria, its officers, or members. Papers presented at FISON 
meetings are subject to publication review by Editorial Committees of the 
Fisheries Society of Nigeria. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of 
any part of this paper for commercial purposes without the written consent of the 
Fisheries Society of Nigeria is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is 
restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be 
copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgement of where and 
by whom the paper was presented. Write Librarian, Fisheries Society of Nigeria 
(FISON), P. O. Box 2607 Apapa, Lagos. 
 
ABSTRACT 
Size measurements, anatomical composition 
and proximate composition of Horse eye 
mackerel fish (Caranax carangus) were 
carried out. The mean values of length (cm) 
and weight (g) were 21.79  ± 1.76 and 87.96  
± 21.4  respectively. Anatomical 
fractionation showed that the fish samples 
contained on the average 45.8% fillet, 
17.75% head, 25.98%  body frame and 
6.12% gut. The proximate   composition 
analysis showed   that   the fish sample 
contained 77.2% water content, 0.4% lipid, 
20.63% protein and 1.67% ash. Horse eye 
mackerel fish thus constitutes a source of 
high protein as well as an ideal dietetic fish 
food. 
Keywords:    Weight, Length, Anatomical, 
Chemical Composition, Horse eye mackerel 
fish. 
 
INTRODUCTION 
Fish and fish products are known worldwide 
as a very important diet because of their 
high nutritive quality and significance in 
improving human health. Fish plays a vital 
role in feeding the worlds population and 
contributing significantly to the dietary 
protein intake of hundreds of millions of the 
populace. On a global scale, almost 16 
percentage of total average intake of animal 
protein was attributable to fish in 1988 
(FAO 1990). In the developing worlds, fish 
is a highly acceptable food that supplies as 
much as 40 percent of all animal protein 
available of the countries where fish is the 
main sources of animal protein, 39 out of the 
top 40 are found in the developing world. 
However, fish which contributes 36.6gm per 
day of net protein utilization in Nigerian 
homes is still below the recommended 
requirement by the world health 
organization (WHO). Moreover, the poor 
spend proportionally more on fish than on 
meat or other sources of animal protein. Fish 
has an edge over meat in that it is cheaper 
and relatively more abundant in Nigeria. 
(Eyo, 1986). Stansby (1954) established that 
information on the chemical composition of 
fish in respect to the nutritive value is 
important to compare with other source of 
animal protein in foods such as meat and 
poultry products. 
 In fish processing, the knowledge of 
proximate chemical composition of fish is 
very important, even as information on the 
lipid, protein, ash and water content is 
required for effective utilization. It is also 
essential to determine the proximate 
composition of the fish to report its 
nutritional composition from the public 
health point of view. Thus studies on fish 
composition and fish yield are essential if 
fish and fish products are to be maximally 
utilized. This work reports the body 
243 Body Characteristics, Yield Indices And Proximate Composition Of Horse Eye Mackerel Fish (Caranax Carangus) FISON EKO 2010 
 
ISSN: 1117-3149 PROCEEDINGS OF FISHERIES SOCIETY OF NIGERIA (FISON) ASCON, BADAGRY 25th-29th OCTOBER 2010 FSN-FB 0004 
characteristics, yield indices and proximate 
composition of Horse eye mackerel fish 
(C.carangus) caught in the costal waters of 
Lagos State Nigeria.   
 
STUDY SITE 
Fresh fish samples of Horse eye mackerel 
fish (C. carangus) were obtained from the 
Makoko fish market in Lagos. The fish 
samples were kept on ice in an insulated box 
and transported to the Nigerian Institute for 
Oceanography and Marine Research, 
Victoria Island Lagos for  further analysis. 
 
MATERIALS AND METHODS 
 
Body Characteristics and Yield Indices 
Determination 
Body characteristics and meat yield indices 
were determined using forty five fresh 
samples of Horse eye mackerel fish. The 
fish samples were first weighed whole using 
Ohau’s top loading electronic weighing 
balance. The total, standard and head lengths 
were measured using a standard   graduated 
fish measuring board. The fish was be-
headed, gutted and filleted. The separate 
parts were weighed each (in grammes) to 
determine the percentages compared to the 
local body weight. 
 
Analyses 
Fish samples were randomly selected for 
proximate composition. Triplicate 
determinations were carried out.  
 
Proximate Composition Determination  
The fillet of the fish samples were 
homogenized and used to determine 
proximate composition. The moisture 
content was estimated by drying samples to 
constant weight at 103±2
0
C using the oven 
dry method (AOAC, 1994). Lipid 
determination was carried out using the 
modified Bligh and Dyer procedure (AOAC, 
1994), the ash content of the fish was 
determined by igniting the sample at 550
0
C  
for 5-6 hours until the sample was 
completely free from carbon particles in a 
carbolite Sheffield LMF3 muffle furnace 
while the total nitrogen was determined by 
the Kjeldahl method as described by Vlieg, 
1984 and a factor of 6.25 was used for 
converting the total nitrogen to crude protein 
content of the fish sample.  
 
RESULTS 
The body characteristics of  horse eye 
mackerel fish (C. carangus) were measured 
as shown in table 1. The fish samples had a 
standard length range from 15.60 - 20.2 cm, 
total length range from 15.60- 20.2 cm and 
total body weight range from 61.99 - 127.44 
g and the total head length range from 10.82 
-12.7 cm.  
 
Table   1:  Body   Characteristics of Horse eye mackerel Fish (C. carangus) 
Fish Parameter  Measured 
Total  Weight (g) 
Total  Length (cm) 
Standard Length (cm) 
Head Length(cm) 
Horse eye mackerel Fish (C. carangus) 
87.96   ±  21.4  (R= 61.99 -127.44) 
21.79  ±   1.76  (R= 19.1 – 25.2) 
17.50    ±  1.28.  (R= 15.60 - 20.2) 
15.65   ±   4.11  (R= 8.82 – 20.94) 
Data are mean± SD and R= range 
The yield characteristics of horse eye mackerel (C. carangus) as shown in table 2, showed a percentage decrease in 
the order of fillet,  frame, head and gut of the fish samples. The order was 45.8 > 25.98 > 17.75 > 6.12.  
 
 
 
 
244 Kolade O.Y, Adejonwo O.A, Oramadike C.E, &  Abraham-Olukayode O.A FISON EKO 2010 
 
ISSN: 1117-3149 PROCEEDINGS OF FISHERIES SOCIETY OF NIGERIA (FISON) ASCON, BADAGRY 25th-29th OCTOBER 2010 FSN-FB 0004 
 
Table   2:  Yield   Characteristics of Horse eye mackerel Fish (C. carangus)  
Fish  Parameter  Measured 
Gut   As   % Of   Whole    Fish 
Head   As  % Of   Whole   Fish 
Fillet   As   %  Of  Whole   Fish 
Frame  As  %   Of  Whole  Fish 
Horse eye mackerel Fish (C. carangus) 
6.12  ±  1.73  (R= 2.63 – 10.81) 
17.75  ±  2.01 (R= 10.82 - 20.94) 
45.8   ±  1.67  (R= 26.21 - 59.35) 
25.98   ±  2.61  (R= 15.97 -  31.96) 
Data are percentage ± SD, R=range. 
The results of the mean proximate composition of C .carangus are presented in figure 1.The fish specie had mean 
protein content of 20.63 %, lipid content of 0.4 %, water content of 77.3 % and ash content of 1.67 % 
 
 
 
 
DISCUSSION 
 
The mean length and weight of horse eye 
mackerel fish presented in Table 1 were 
21.79  ± 1.76 and 87.96 ± 21.4 respectively. 
There were slight variations in sizes with 
respect to length and weight. This result was 
with respect to size, and could be due to 
interplay of factors affecting growth  such as 
nutritional, physiological, biotic and climatic 
factors.  
 The  result of yield indices  in table 2 
showed that the percentage yield of the 
edible flesh for horse eye mackerel fish (C. 
carangus) was 45.8%. This was gotten from 
the total of filleted skin of the fish sample, 
the remaining parts such as the head, gut and 
scale are regarded as waste. The fillet yield 
of 45.8% when compared to the entire 
percentage of the fish body weight, could be 
attributed to the feeding habit of the fish as a 
carnivore feeding on small fishes and 
crustaceans and the bony structure of the 
fish (Froese and Pauly, 2010).. 
The anatomical measurement of the fish 
gave an average of  23.87 % waste (i. e  
6.12% gut and 17.75 % head) and 71.9 % 
body trunk (i.e 25.98 % body frame and 
45.8 % fillet). The yield of edible portion of 
71.9% of the fish will make the fish a good 
source of raw material for canning and other 
value added products (Egwelle et al 1986). 
However, the waste recovered can be used 
245 Body Characteristics, Yield Indices And Proximate Composition Of Horse Eye Mackerel Fish (Caranax Carangus) FISON EKO 2010 
 
ISSN: 1117-3149 PROCEEDINGS OF FISHERIES SOCIETY OF NIGERIA (FISON) ASCON, BADAGRY 25th-29th OCTOBER 2010 FSN-FB 0004 
for fish meal or silage production for animal 
feeds. 
The results of the proximate composition of 
the  fish showed that it is a high protein fish  
(15-21%) since its protein content is 20.6% 
with low lipid content of 0.4% . Fishes with 
lipid content below 5% are considered lean 
(Ackman,1989, Stanby,1982) hence horse 
eye mackerel fish can be considered to be a 
lean fish. The low lipid content value might 
be as a result of the environment and the 
type of diet the fishes feed upon. Its high 
protein content would make it an ideal 
source of animal protein that can be used in 
food preparation and in fast food outlets for 
the manufacture of fish pies, fish fingers, 
fish burgers and cakes. 
The water content of the  fish  was found to 
be quite high 77.3% was within the 
previously  reported range in other fishes. 
(Gallagher, et al 1991). FAO report of 1999 
states that water content and lipid content 
are inversely related and their sum is 
approximately 80% with other components 
accounting for the remaining 20 %. 
  Ash content of the fish  which was in the 
high range of 1.67 % indicated that horse 
eye mackerel fish is a good source of 
minerals such as calcium, potassium, zinc, 
iron and magnesium.   
 
CONCLUSION 
The results of the experiment showed that 
horse eye mackerel fish has a high yield of 
edible portion making it suitable for canning 
and other value added product. It is also a 
suitable source of animal protein useful for 
controlling diets. 
 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
I wish to acknowledge Dr. G.R. Akande, 
H.O.D of Fish Technology/Biotechnology 
Department and Mr. M. Akinwale of the 
same department for their constructive 
criticism on this study. 
 
REFERENCES 
 
Ackman, R.G (1989) Nutritional 
Composition Of Fats In Seafoods. 
Prog. Food Nutri.Sci.13:161-241.  
AOAC   (1994) Official   Methods Of 
Analysis. Association Of Official 
Analytical Chemists  15
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Egwelle, A. U., Sorimade, S.O. and Talabi, 
S.O (1986) Nutritional Evaluation Of 
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246 Kolade O.Y, Adejonwo O.A, Oramadike C.E, &  Abraham-Olukayode O.A FISON EKO 2010 
 
ISSN: 1117-3149 PROCEEDINGS OF FISHERIES SOCIETY OF NIGERIA (FISON) ASCON, BADAGRY 25th-29th OCTOBER 2010 FSN-FB 0004 
Stansby, M.Z.  1954. Composition of certain 
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Body characteristics, yield indices and proximate composition of horse eye mackerel fish (Caranax carangus)

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