Wanted the Fried Fish to Stay Rich in Nutrition, Read this Research Results of IPB

Male mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) was one of Indonesian marine fish consumed with various processing methods. Frying was a very preferred method in Indonesia, because it produced a distinctive flavor, including in the mackerel.

However, no information on the frying method could change the contents of vitamin and mineral of the mackerel. Therefore, four researchers from the Department of Aquatic Product Technology, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Bogor Agricultural University (FPIK of IPB), Nurjanah, Mala Nurilmala, Reza Febriyansyah, and Taufik Hidayat tried to examine it.

The purpose of this research was to determine the effect happening on the contents of vitamin A, B12, and mineral of the mackerel (Ca, Na, K, Fe, Zn, and Se) after being fried in the deep fryer. The mackerel used was the male mackerel obtained from Pelabuhan Ratu, Sukabumi in September 2013, in the fish auction place of Pelabuhan Ratu. The samples were included into the cool box by being given the ice cubes to keep the freshness during the transportation process. The samples were prepared to produce the fillet with the average length of 8.5 centimeters, the wide of 2.5 centimeters, and the thick of 0.8 centimeters when reaching the laboratory. In the frying process, it was used the cooking oil as much as 4 liters. The meat of the mackerel was fried for 5 minutes in the temperature of 180 degrees by using the deep fryer.

The result of the research showed that the frying method of the deep frying had a significant effect on vitamin A, while vitamin B12 decreased significantly. Ca (Calcium) mineral increased significantly, while Na (Sodium) and K (Potassium) decreased significantly after the frying process. The minerals of Fe  (Iron) and Zn (Zinc) did not change significantly. Selenium had a content below the detection limit.

“The frying process causes the changes in the composition of both vitamin and mineral contents. Vitamin A increases of 325.45 percent, while vitamin B12 decreases of 55.32 percent. The mineral calcium increases of 114.36 percent, while the sodium and potassium decrease of 28.35 percent and 18 percent. The iron and zinc minerals do not change significantly,” said Nurjanah.

She added that the occurrence of the increased elements of Calcium (Ca) and Vitamin A was due to the frying process occuring a decrease in water content, so that proportionally the elements of calcium and vitamin A had increased.  “Vitamin A in the fried mackerel can also come from the cooking oil containing Vitamin A,” she explained. (IRM/ris)