Proximate composition and amino acids profile of smoked catfish Clarias gariepinus and tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

The proximate composition and amino acids assay of smoked Clarias gariepinus and Oreochromis niloticus were determined using standard procedures. The mean proximate composition of Oreochromis niloticus are 8.9% moisture, 16.00% lipids, 5.6% ash, 44.5% crude protein, 0.42% crude fiber and 24.9% NFE while Clarias gariepinus has 8.19% moisture, 15.55% lipids, 4.725 ash, 40.46% crude protein, 0.50% crude fiber and 30.58% NFE. There is therefore a nutrient variation between the 2 species of fish Oreochromis niloticus has higher crude protein, lipids, moisture and ash content than Clarias gariepinus.The amino acids profile shows that both fishes have 17 amino acids. Apart from Tryptophan, the following essential amino acids Histidine, Methionine, Threonine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Valine and Phenylalanine are present in both fish. Oreochromis niloticus however has higher quantities of the essential amino acids except for Histidine than Clarias gariepinus