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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Commodity Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #141267

Title: OFF-FLAVOR IN POND CULTURED CATFISH: PECAN WASTE MAY HELP CONTROL

Author
item NG, CHILTON - FDA LENEXA KS
item LOSSO, JACK - LSU AG CENTER
item Marshall, Wayne
item RAO, RAMU - LSU AG CENTER

Submitted to: Louisiana Agriculture
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2003
Publication Date: 11/1/2003
Citation: Ng, C., Losso, J.N., Marshall, W.E., Rao, R.M. 2003. Off-flavor in pond cultured catfish: pecan waste may help control. Louisiana Agriculture. 46(1):24-29.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: One of the most severe problems facing catfish farmers is off-flavor in pond-cultivated catfish. This paper describes a potential approach for controlling off-flavor by the adsorption of geosmin, a major off-flavor component, with activated carbon from pecan shells and sugarcane bagasse. Pecan shell-based and bagasse-based carbons were compared to the commercial carbon, Calgon Filtrasorb 400, in their ability to adsorb geosmin. The results showed that when the amount of geosmin in water must be reduced to below the level that humans can taste, pecan shell-based carbon was more efficient than the bagasse-based and commercial carbon for geosmin removal. On the basis of their physical, chemical and adsorptive properties, the pecan shell-based activated carbons may be considered potential replacements for Calgon Filtrasorb 400 in the removal of geosmin in water.