Abstract
To investigate the characteristics of some kinds of "Fushi" produced from different fish species, the proximate analysis and the contents of free amino acids and 5'-ribonucleotides were determined on 27 samples of "Fushi" (14 samples of Katsuo-bushi (dried skipjack), 2 of Sodakatsuo-bushi (dried frigate mackerel), 4 of Saba-bushi (dried mackerel), one of Muroaji-bushi (dried mackerel scad), 2 of Urumeiwashi-bushi (dried round herring), and 4 of Niboshi (dried anchovy). The results obtained are as follows: 1) The total-nitrogen contents of Katsuo- and Sodakatsuo-bushi were somewhat higher than those of other kinds of "Fushi". 2) Sada-, Muroaji- and Urumeiwashi-bushi showed higher values in crude fat. 3) Katsuo- and Sodakatsuo-bushi were higher in total free-amino acid and lower in 5'-ribonucleotide than Saba-, Muroaji-bushi and Niboshi. 4) The ratio of histidine in the total free amino acid was considerably high in Katsuo-bushi. The ratios of histidine and taurine were high in Sodakatsuo-, Saba- and Muroaji-bushi. Also in Urumeiwashi-bushi and Niboshi, histidine and taurine were dominating, and some samples contained more taurine than histidine. 5) Principal component analysis showed that the classification by the chemical components coincides with the classification by the fish species.
