Comparative Assessment of the Nutritional Quality of Selected Cultured Fish Species in Argungu, Kebbi State, Nigeria: A Multivariate Statistical Approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70882/josrar.2026.v3i4.253Keywords:
Cultured fish, Nutritional quality, Proximate composition, Mineral composition, Principal Component AnalysisAbstract
Fish is an important source of high-quality protein and essential nutrients that contribute to food security and human health. This study comparatively assessed the nutritional quality of selected cultured fish species in Argungu, Kebbi State, Nigeria, using proximate composition, mineral analysis, and multivariate statistical techniques. A comparative laboratory-based design was adopted, and 45 fish samples comprising Clarias gariepinus, Oreochromis niloticus, and Heterobranchus spp. were collected from commercial fish farms. Proximate and mineral compositions were determined using standard AOAC procedures, while data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA). Results showed considerable variations in nutritional composition among the fish species. Clarias gariepinus recorded the highest crude protein (20.84 ± 0.62%) and energy value (121.68 ± 2.34 kcal/100 g), whereas Heterobranchus spp. exhibited the highest lipid (3.84 ± 0.21%) and ash (2.18 ± 0.10%) contents. Heterobranchus spp. also recorded higher calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc concentrations, while Clarias gariepinus had the highest iron content. Significant correlations were observed between protein and energy (r = 0.84, p < 0.001), protein and phosphorus (r = 0.71, p = 0.003), and moisture and energy (r = −0.82, p < 0.001). PCA extracted three components explaining 82.6% of total nutritional variation, while HCA classified Clarias gariepinus and Heterobranchus spp. as nutritionally similar. The study concludes that cultured fish species in Argungu possess considerable nutritional value, although their contributions vary by species. Multivariate techniques effectively identified nutritional patterns and species similarities. It is recommended that fish farmers, consumers, and relevant stakeholders consider species-specific nutritional characteristics in fish production, dietary selection, and aquaculture management to promote improved nutrition and sustainable aquaculture development.
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