Physicochemical characterization and fillet and waste yield of different species of jaraqui (Semaprochilodus spp.)

Abstract

Jaraqui is a fish found in the Amazon basin. The species has low commercial value when compared to noble fish of the region, such as tambaqui, arapaima and matrinxã, being consumed mostly by the low-income population. To better use of this fish and to aggregate value, it was analyzed two filleting procedures, chemical composition and fillet yield of two jaraqui species, as well as the performance of their wastes. The work was developed in two stages; in the first, two filleting methods were analyzed, and biometrics taken; in the second stage, it was used the filleting methodology that presented the best performance, biometrics were taken and analyzed the chemical composition of the fillets. The results showed that the method of filleting and subsequent removal of the skin was that witch provided greater fillet yield. In the second stage, the skinless fillet yield ranged between 30.96 and 32.29%, and the fillet with skin, between 40.29 and 41.20% for jaraqui of coarse scale and fine scale respectively. The residues showed yield from 67.62 to 69.15% of body weight for jaraquis of coarse scale and fine scale, respectively. Regarding centesimal composition, only protein levels did not differ between species (p>0.05), and both showed high lipid content, which may be related to the period in which the fisher were acquired: the migration to spawning. Therefore, it can be concluded that both species exhibited good fillet yield and residue, indicating the possibility of their exploitation by processing and handicrafts industries.