Proximate Analysis of Pacific Herring (Clupea pallasii) and an Evaluation of Tester's "Fat Factor"

Abstract

Samples of Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) were obtained from commercial catches made at approximately monthly intervals for a period of a year. These samples were analysed for their water, oil, protein and ash content. The seasonal variations obtained in the analytical values in general confirmed those observed previously for this species of fish.When Tester's "fat factor" determined by dividing the weight of the fish by its weight in water was used to calculate the oil content of herring, the average deviation of the calculated oil content from that determined experimentally was 15% and the range of deviation was 2 to 49%. Use of the "fat factor" as a practical means of determining the oil content of herring is not recommended.