Hamed Al-Oufi

Evaluating the quality and storage stability of fish burgers during frozen storage

In an attempt to initiate seafood biotechnology in the Sultanate of Oman, Middle East, using underutilized fish, fish burgers from two different formulas were developed and the quality and storage stability were evaluated during storage at −20°C for 3 months. Quality and storage stability were evaluated through total aerobic and coliform bacterial count, peroxide value, protein solubility, and color. Total aerobic bacteria were reduced significantly (P<0.05) by 84% and 97% of the initial load in formulas 1 and 2, respectively, whereas coliforms were completely destroyed in both formulas at the end of storage. Peroxide value increased (P < 0.05) but did not reach detectable levels of rancidity. Salt-soluble protein content decreased remarkably during the storage period. The L value showed good stability during storage, keeping products bright for 3 months. Fish burgers from both formulas were acceptable for 3 months at −20°C. Storage stability was rationalized by the effectiveness of freezing, and antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of food additives.

Size distributions and sex ratios of sharks caught by Oman’s artisanal fishery

Omans fishery resources are exploited by artisanal and industrial fisheries, but the former accounts for almost 90% of landings. Within the artisanal fishery, sharks have traditionally been harvested for their flesh, but the development of a valuable export market for shark fin has led to increased utilisation of this resource, and anecdotal information suggests that shark abundance has decreased in recent years. Whereas management of the shark fishery is desirable, the biological and socio-economical data on which to base any management plan are lacking. The present study was undertaken to collect size frequency and sex ratio information from the shark species most commonly encountered in the artisanal landings, namely Carcharhinus falciformis, C. limbatus, C. macloti, C. sorrah, lago omanensis, Loxodon macrorhinus, Rhizoprionodon acutus and Sphyrna lewini. The occurrence of large female sharks in the landings, combined with a high proportion of juveniles of certain species, suggests that species-specific size restrictions should be considered in any management plan for Omans shark fishery.

Analysis of Fatty Acid Profiles of Kingfish (Scomberomorus commerson) from Different Coastal Regions of Sultanate of Oman

Abstract Samples of kingfish of different age groups were collected from the Batinah and Dhofar coasts of Oman. Fatty acids (FA) were extracted from the dorsal muscle samples of the kingfish and analyzed on a Hewlett Packard Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrophotometer (GCMS). Individual FA was identified by comparing their retention times with reference samples, which were confirmed by the NIST98 computer mass spectral library. Specimens collected from the Batinah coast contained slightly higher amounts of total fatty acids compared to specimens of the Dhofar area. The results showed that kingfish from the Batinah area had high contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) compared to saturated fatty acids (SAFA). However, there was little or no difference between PUFA and SAFA in samples collected from the Dhofar region. All samples had more eicosapentaenoic acid (20: 5ω3, EPA) than docosahexaenoic acid (22: 6ω3, DHA). The ω3 types FA were 5–8 folds higher in all samples compared to the ω6 type FA. Kingfish from the Batinah region showed higher ω3/ω6 FA ratios than samples from the Dhofar region.

Scientific and technological aspects of fish product development. Part I: Handshaking instrumental texture with consumer preference in burgers

Abstract Traditional fish burgers are made mostly with added starch but fail to meet consumer expectations of eating quality characteristics. Improved formulations, however, can offer a new marketing position in the area of processed fish products. Promising functional ingredients that can improve organoleptic properties include milk protein, citrus pectin, and bovine gelatin. The large deformation properties of these burgers were identified using compression testing and specific attributes were related to the overall acceptability of the product on the basis of a hedonic scaling method. The quality of the burgers was further manipulated by introducing additional ingredients to the formulation, e.g., soya protein, κ-carrageenan, frozen vegetables, and dried fruits. Distinctive upper and lower bounds of the values of hardness, firmness, adhesiveness, and the ratio of inflectional to maximum stress were defined in relation to optimum sensory acceptability of the product.

Demographic profile of an overexploited serranid, the orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides), from northern Oman

1 Department of Marine Science and Fisheries College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences Sultan Qaboos University P.O. Box 34, Al-Khod 123 Sultanate of Oman 2 Department of Environment and Agriculture Faculty of Science and Engineering Curtin University G.P.O Box U1987 Perth, Western Australia 6487, Australia 3 Marine Science Program Department of Parks and Wildlife Dick Perry Avenue Kensington, Western Australia 6151, Australia