CARCASS AND MEAT YIELD OF "PEIXE-REI" (ODONTHESTES HUMENSIS) WITH WEIGHT BETWEEN 200 AND 300 G

Abstract

This study was done with a fish of the Atherinidae family (Odonthestes humensis), known as sweet water "Peixe-rei". Twenty-four fishes between 200 and 300 g were analyzed in relation to carcass and meat yield. Carcass weight was obtained by evisceration of the fishes; head portion made part of carcass. For total meat weight determination all fishes were dissected by removing firstly the skin and, thereafter, separating epaxial musculature and hipoaxial bones and fins. In this range of weight, with an average total fish weight of 273.6 g, a mean carcass weight of 240,1 g was found, and corresponding to 87.7% of yield. For meat it was found that dorsal musculature represented 54.5% of total meat, and ventral musculature, 45.5% of it. Total mean yield as a whole represented 44.1% of the total weight.