Advances in Research

This study investigated the effect of cooking duration on the quantity of oil extracted from Bagrus bayad. A total of eight (8) kilograms of fresh fish were cleaned (beheaded, degutted, fins removed, and thoroughly washed) before processing. The fish was divided into four equal treatments of 2 kg each. Each portion was cooked at a boiling point of 95°C–100°C using charcoal fire. The first treatment was cooked for 30 minutes, the second for 60 minutes, the third for 90 minutes, and the fourth for 120 minutes. Each treatment was replicated twice. Data collected were analysed using one-way ANOVA, and mean differences were separated using LSD at a 95% confidence level (P < 0.05). The highest oil yield (27.00 ml) was recorded at 30 minutes, followed by 23.50 ml at 90 minutes, 21.75 ml at 120 minutes, and the lowest (20.75 ml) at 60 minutes. Residue weight was also highest (635.00 g) at 30 minutes, decreasing progressively with longer cooking times: 620.00 g (60 minutes), 525.00 g (90 minutes), and 450.00 g (120 minutes). Based on these results, the study recommends a cooking time exposure of 30 minutes, as seen from Treatment 1, for use in fish oil extraction as it gave the best results of more pure oil extracted from Bagrus bayad, offering potential benefits for improving processing efficiency and optimising supply chain operations in fish oil production systems.