The Chemical Composition of Haplochromis spp.

Abstract

The Haplochromis genus constitutes about 80% by weight of the fish in Lake Victoria yet only small amounts are utilised directly for food. There are over 150 species of Haplochromis, in the lake forming a species flock and any typical catch is made up of a mixture of many species. Morphological resemblance of the species makes identification of individual species very difficult. Little information has been published about the chemical composition of Haplochrornis. The present study provides chemical composition data for lioid. protein and other nutritionally important constituents of Haolochromis as an aid to the processing of the resource and its nutritional evaluation. Four batches of Haplochromis from Lake Victoria were received. The first batch was analysed only for total lipid. Fish from the other three batches, caught over a five month period, were each split into four weight groups. Data were obtained for the weight distribution in the batches, the relationship between weight and length of the fish, weight and maximum depth of the fish and for the proportions of head, gut and headless gutless portions in the different weight groups.