III. TASTE STUDY ON NILE TILAPIA (Oreochromis niloticus) IN NAURU
PART III: BBQ, PAN-FRIED AND RAW

FELIX ALEFAIO¹

Abstract - This study was carried out in Nauru to examine the acceptability of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) as a food fish. Two types of tilapia were tested, the red tilapia and the nile tilapia. A public tasting, of only tilapia prepared in the Naruan common cooking methods was carried out as follows: cooked in BBQ, deep-fried in a pan and raw. The public generally accepted tilapia.

1. Introduction

Nauruan communities rely heavily on the nearby inshore and reef fisheries for their supply of proteins. This has resulted in increased fishing efforts, which put pressure on the over-exploited inshore and offshore fishery resources. In an effort to divert fishing pressures from the limited and over-exploited inshore and reef resources, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources (DFMR) has initiated programmes aimed at providing an alternative source, not only of proteins, but also a means of generating income. Aquaculture, particularly inland-water fish farming, is considered to offer one of the potential alternatives.

In this context, the DFMR has been promoting the culture of milkfish which is the highly preferred fish of the Nauruan, under assistance of FAO South Pacific Aquaculture Development Project. Milkfish stocking has been traditionally practiced in Buada Lagoon. However, this practice was abandoned because of infestation of Mossambique tilapia (Oreochromis mosambicus) that depressed the growth of milkfish.

Tilapia (Oreochromis mosambicus) soon became a pest with their high fecundity and proliferated to such an extent that the milkfish stocking to inland lagoons has become unproductive. The small size and volume of its flesh made the tilapia unpopular as a food fish. The government geared all efforts to eradication of the tilapia in order to revive milkfish stocking in the lagoon.

Since however, tilapia eradication was impossible, the DFMR thus shifted approach towards positive farming rather than tilapia eradication. Mosambique tilapia is now utilised for producing fish pellet for milkfish farming.

Thanks to the progress of milkfish farming, both the DFMR and the people have been encouraged to develop aquaculture further by introducing new fish species. The DFMR intended to introduce barramundi (Lates calcarifer) in the lagoons. However, it was cancelled due to difficulty of regular import of seed and less productivity compared to harvivorous fish. Nile tilapia has now been considered a candidate species for farming even in Nauru. However, it is at the moment difficult to introduce it to Nauru as tilapia is already recognised as a pest in Nauru. Thus this study was carried out to evaluate the public's acceptability of Nile tilapia as food fish.

¹ Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Nauru.

Nile tilapia served for the public taste test was prepared by the following cooking methods:

1. BBQ and
2. Deep-fried.
   (These two methods are the most common ways of cooking fish among the Nauruans. No other fish, was cooked at that time but for comparison, tasters were asked to compare its taste with other fish, such as reef fish and tuna).
3. Eating the tilapia raw. (This is every Nauruan favorite way to eat the fish).
   The Constitution Day fishing competition (16^th May 1997) was seen as an excellent opportunity to conduct a taste assessment on the acceptability of the Nile tilapia as a food fish by the general public.

2. Materials and Methods

In order to get a proper evaluation of the people's reaction to eating Nile tilapia, it was decided that tilapia must not be made known to the taster. In addition, it was believed that cooking fish using local methods would give a better assessment on the acceptance of Nile tilapia by the general public. After tasting, tasters were asked to fill in a questionnaire with the help of our staff. Two types of Nile tilapia were used for tasting; (1) Red tilapia and (2) Normal Nile tilapia. The FAO South Pacific Aquaculture Development Project, Fiji, supplied the Nile tilapia from Fiji. Approximately 70 kg of gutted fresh Nile tilapia averaging 300g/fish, were air-freighted on ice. They were kept in the freezer in Nauru for about 3 days before they were used on the 16^th May 1997.

2.1. Nile tilapia cooked on BBQ

Nile tilapia was marinated with Soya sauce crushed garlic and little salt. The fish was then cooked on a BBQ using the same BBQ stand where the other tilapia were cooked in a frying pan. The cooked tilapia were placed on foil trays on a table and tasting was done one right after the other.

2.2 Nile tilapia cooked in frying pan

Cooking fish by deep-frying in pans is the other most common method of cooking fish in Nauru. Frying oil is firstly heated in the frying pan before the fish is cooked. The Tilapia is first scaled off, dipped into Soya sauce and salt, and then fried together with sliced onions. The pan-fried tilapia was displayed on a table and tasting was done after the BBQ fish. People who sampled these were asked to indicate which tilapia was better in taste.

2.3 Raw tilapia

It was not the intention of the DFMR for the tasters to taste the tilapia by eating it raw as it had been kept in the freezer for 3 days prior to testing. Since raw fish is the best or the most preferable way every Nauruan likes to eat fish, tasters were advised to eat a small amount of tilapia fish raw.

3. Results

3.1 Nile tilapia cooked on BBQ

Table 1a records the results of the assessment conducted for Nile tilapia cooked on BBQ. An estimate of more than 50 people sampled tilapia cooked on BBQ. Out of this number, 32 people, 28 males and four females were actually recorded on papers.

Table 1. Results of tilapia cooked in BBQ

Note: NR- Not recorded

There was no other fish (reef fish or tuna) cooked the same way on the day of the assessment. However, tasters were asked to compare the taste of this “fish” with others such as reef fish, cooked in the same way. The results indicated that of the 32 tasters, 28(87.5%) rated red tilapia and 24 (75% rated Nile tilapia “Very Good” - better than other fish cooked on BBQ. Three (9.4%) rated red tilapia and 7 (21.9%) rated Nile tilapia “Good” - same as other fish cooked on BBQ, and 1 (3.1%) rated red tilapia and Nile tilapia “Poor” worse than any other fish cooked this way.

3.2 Nile tilapia cooked in frying pan

A total of 32 people participated in the taste assessment of Nile tilapia fried in pan. The results are recorded in Table 2.

Table 2. Results of tilapia fried in frying pan

Note: NR-Not recorded

Table 2 shows 90.6% of the public rated red tilapia and 68.7% rated Nile tilapia cooked in frying pan best and better tasting fish cooked this way respectively. Compared to Table 1, tasters that rated Nile tilapia poor i.e. 3.1% is still the same. However, according to the tasters' assessment they rated red tilapia the best tasting fish cooked pan-fried.

3.3 Raw tilapia

Out of the 32 people who tasted the tilapia, 17 people ate the tilapia raw. Table 3 shows the results of the assessment for tilapia eaten raw.

Table 3. Results of tilapia eaten raw

Note: NR- Not recorded

The results show that 76.5% of the tasters rated red tilapia as the best tasting raw fish and it was highly recommended by the tasters to be eaten raw. 70.6% rated Nile tilapia as tasting similar to other fish eaten this way.

4. Discussion

Due to the shortage of other fish, like reef fish and tuna, only tilapia was cooked in all the different methods indicated above. The results of the assessments on tilapia, after cooking in different methods, indicated its acceptance by the general public. There was one case during the whole assessment in which tilapia was considered unacceptable. A high percentage (90.6%) of the respondents indicated deep fried tilapia tasted better than other fish.

5. Conclusion

The results clearly indicate the acceptance of Nile tilapia by local people as a food fish. Its acceptance is very comparable to bottomfish, which is of high value in the local market.

Appendix 1: Questionnaire used for Taste Test Survey-Nile Tilapia cooked in coconut cream

FISH TASTING SURVEY DURING FISHERIES OPEN DAY

Nile Tilapia Cooked in Coconut Cream

Appendix 2: Questionnaire used for Nile Tilapia and Reef Fish Taste Test Survey (both fish cooked in a Samoan “umu”).

FISH TASTING SURVEY DURING FISHERIES OPEN DAY

Assorted Reef Fish and Nile Tilapia: wrapped in breadfruit leaves and cooked in coconut cream.