Tilapia meat was placed in the fryer filled with frying oil preheated to 180 OC. The frying times were 2, 5,10, 15, or 20 min. The fried meat was then packed in 209 X 409 cans, hermetically sealed, and retorted. As the frying time increased beyond 10 min, available lysine and in vitro protein digestibility of the meat decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in fried tilapia meat. Rats on diets of tilapia meat fried for 15 or 20 min containing 10% protein had poor growth and lower net protein utilization (NPU) (P < 0.05) than that of rats on diets of tilapia meat fried for 2 or 5 min. Canned tilapia meat prefried for 15 min had higher sensory scores of odor and flavor, whereas the scores of color and texture were high for canned tilapia meat prefried for 10 min.The value of fish for human nutrition lies in the relatively high protein content, good digestibility, and high biological value of fish proteins (Geiger and Borgstrom, 1962).Tilapia are mainly lacustrine fish that are well adapted to enclosed waters. They exhibit many qualities that suit them for culture, including resistance to handling and disease, efficient conversion of low-protein diets, ease of breeding, and high palatability; thus, they are an important human protein source in many tropical and subtropic countries. In Taiwan, tilapia production has surpassed the production of milkfish, and thus tilapia has become the preeminent cultured fish species, with yearly production exceeding 100 000 tons.Various processing procedures must be applied to foods for preservation, quality improvement, and consumer convenience and/or to increase their market value.The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of different prefrying times on the nutritional value of canned tilapia meat.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Product Preparation.Live commercially harvested tilapia were obtained from the local market. Fish weighed between 700 and 900 g each. After the fish were butchered and rinsed with water, the scales, head, tail, viscera, and central bone were discarded. The remaining tilapia meat was cut into pieces 9 X 2.5 X 1.5 cm and fried in soybean oil (President Food Co.), at a meat to oil ratio of 1:4 (weight) at 180 OC. Frying times were 2,5,10,15, or 20 min. Fresh frying oil was used for each variable frying period. The fried tilapia were cooled and packed in 209 X 409 cans. A total of 150 cans were packed for each treatment, and in each can solid meat were placed with sufficient patching to give a net weight of 90 g. Thirtymilliliter portions of seasoning were then placed on top of the meat, leaving a headspace of about 10 mm. The composition of seasoning per liter of water was sugar, 125 g; salt, 25 g; monosodium glutamate, 25 g; soy sauce, 57 mL; rice wine, 12 mL; and vinegar, 8 mL. All cans were sealed immediately after being exhausted for 15 min. The cans were then stem-retorted at 118 "C for 40 min, allowed to cool under running water, stored at room temperature, and opened 4 weeks after processing. The contents of all 150 cans of each variable were drained thro...