What are the white dots in fishmeal? Let us reveal the truth
Revealing the white dots in fishmeal
This post was last edited by csf123 on 2009-11-13 19:11
In fishmeal there are some small white flakes; sometimes very small ones are seen in a small sample, sometimes slightly larger ones of 2-8mm can be seen. Under the microscope, if you are not paying attention, you cannot see these white dots. Generally, when looking at a large sample, you would think these are larger fish bones or fish teeth. The main component of both fish bones and fish teeth is hydroxyapatite, with a calcium content of about 40% and a phosphorus content of about 19%. After sorting and identification, this substance has the following characteristics: it bubbles when hydrochloric acid is added, the calcium content is 39.5%, and the phosphorus content is so low it can be ignored. Microscopic examination is shown in the figure below
The surface is smooth, with no traces of crushing. Some small white dots are formed by even smaller stones bonded together, and are not transparent; they are neither minerals nor bones or teeth. Last night, someone suggested it might be the forehead stone of yellow croaker. Today, the supplier found some live yellow croakers, and when the forehead was opened, it was indeed the forehead stone. Each fish has two such stones; larger fish have larger stones, and smaller fish have smaller stones. After identification, they have the same properties as the stones found in the fishmeal. Seeing this kind of stone, one can judge that this fishmeal is composed in part of yellow croaker or other similar fish. The more of this kind of fish, the more of these stones. How is the quality of this fishmeal? Experts who know, please advise. Attachment: You need to log in to download or view attachments. No account? Register
--------------------------------------
In ichthyology it is called an otolith. Those in the Sciaenidae family are all very large, and not only yellow croaker has them; other fish also have them. From this alone, one cannot judge whether the fishmeal is good. For reference only.
--------------------------------------
Thank you Teacher Huang for the guidance. Previously I did not know how to look up information in this area. Now that I know this is an otolith, Sciaenidae, it is easy to handle. I wonder whether it exists in freshwater fish. If freshwater fish do not have it, then at least it proves that the marine fish content of the fishmeal is acceptable. The quality of fishmeal from marine fish should be better than that from freshwater fish, right?
--------------------------------------
Sciaenidae Sciaenidae
Species: There are 70 genera and 270 species worldwide, and Taiwan, China currently has 11 genera and 20 species
Ecology: bottom-dwelling, oviparous, carnivorous
The body is laterally compressed and elongated, the head is large, the head is covered with scales, there are small mucus pores on the cheeks, and the otoliths are large; from this, the Sciaenidae get their name. The swim bladder is large and special, and can produce sound. The maxilla is more or less covered by the preorbital bone, and the lower jaw has no barbels. Or there may occasionally be 1 single short barbel. The lower pharyngeal bones are not united. The palate usually has no teeth. The pectoral fins may have axillary scales. Fish of this family migrate to coastal estuarine areas to spawn, and they are important economic fish in our country, as well as the main trawling target of our country's marine fisheries. Large yellow croaker, small yellow croaker and hairtail are China's three major marine fish.
The Sciaenidae family includes the commonly known yellow croaker, white mouth, black mouth, Mi-iuy croaker and other high-quality seafood fish, and is the most important offshore economic fish in the coastal shelf area of mainland China. Sciaenids are mostly laterally compressed and elongated, with a rounded and blunt snout, a long dorsal fin, and a deep notch separating the spiny and soft-rayed parts. The lateral line is obvious and extends to the rear edge of the caudal fin, and there are often some pores on the snout and cheeks. Because the otoliths in the head of fish in this family are especially large, they are called "stone-head fish" (Sciaenidae); the shape of the otolith is also one of the bases for classification between genera and species of sciaenids. Sciaenids mainly inhabit tropical and subtropical shelf areas with sandy-mud bottoms. Those with small, inferior mouths mostly feed on invertebrates in the sand and mud, and they have large molar-like teeth in the pharynx that can crush shelled invertebrates; those with large, obliquely cleft mouths swim fast and mostly live by chasing small fish or other swimming crustaceans. Most sciaenids can use the swim bladder to produce sound. The large yellow croaker, which has a golden-yellow lower abdomen, was once common in Taiwan, China fish markets, but is now an extremely rare kind of yellow croaker.
Large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea, also called "large yellow flower" and "large fresh". When taken out of the water, the body is golden yellow, the caudal peduncle length is more than three times its height, there are 25-26 vertebrae, and the scales are relatively small. In the reproductive season it forms large groups and can emit a very loud sound (by contraction of the drumming muscle, pressing the swim bladder wall and causing the swim bladder wall to resonate), and makes short-distance migrations to spawn. The dried product of its swim bladder is the precious food "fish maw", and it is one of our country's important economic fish.
Small yellow croaker (P. polyctis), also called "yellow croaker" and "small fresh". Its body shape resembles the large yellow croaker, but its caudal peduncle is slightly thicker and shorter, with a length more than twice its height, and it generally has 29 vertebrae, with larger scales. Every spring it migrates to the coast to spawn and feed, and when in schools the swim bladder can produce sound. It is one of the important economic fish of the Yellow Sea, Bohai Sea and East China Sea.
Others such as: Nibea albiflora, Collichthys niveatus, Johnius belengerii, Argyrosomus argentatus, Miichthys miiuy
--------------------------------------
Fish brain stone (fish otolith)
[Source] It is the otolith in the skull of the sciaenid fish large yellow croaker or small yellow croaker.
[Collection] It is mostly a by-product when processing dried fish.
It is generally collected during the fishing season for sciaenids (yellow croaker) in May to June.
During processing, the largest otolith is taken out of the skull, washed clean, and air-dried.
[Medicinal material] It is a long oval-shaped, three-ridged particle.
The brain stone of the large yellow croaker is 1.5-2 cm long and 0.8-1.8 cm wide.
That of the small yellow croaker is smaller, 1-1.2 cm long and 5-7 mm wide.
It is wide in the middle, slightly round at one end, and pointed at the other end.
The whole body is magnetic white.
The articular surface is relatively flat, and obvious circular node marks can be seen on the surface; the other side bulges toward one side, and near the tip there is an oblique groove and several transverse processes. Below the bulging side, fine long lines can be seen, namely growth lines.
The texture is hard and not easy to break.
The odor is slight, and the taste is slightly astringent.
Those that are white, hard and free of impurities are preferred.
Mainly produced in Zhejiang.
[Processing] Wash clean and sun-dry, put in an iron spoon, cover with a bowl, calcine over a strong fire until a crackling sound is heard, then take out and let cool.
[Nature and flavor] "Yilin Zuanyao": salty, neutral.
[Functions and indications] Dissolve stones, free strangury, reduce inflammation.
Treats urolithiasis, difficult urination, otitis media, rhinitis, and brain leakage.
① "Rihua Zi Bencao": Take the brain pillow, burn it into powder, and drink it to treat urolithiasis.
② "Kaibao Bencao": Mainly treats discharge of stones in strangury; grind the stone and take it, or burn it into ash powder and take it.
③ "Gangmu": Grind into powder or burn and grind, take with water; mainly treats strangury, and inability to urinate.
Taken as a decoction, it resolves arsenic poison and wild mushroom poison.
[Usage and dosage] Internal use: grind into powder, 1-3 qian.
External use: burn until charred, grind into powder and sprinkle.
[Selected formulas] ① To treat urolithiasis and various strangury conditions: fourteen pieces of sciaenid head stone, and equal parts of angelica.
Grind and sieve the above two ingredients into a powder, use two sheng of water, boil down to one sheng, and take all at once.
("Yangsheng Biyong Fang") ② To treat inability to urinate: powder of sciaenid head stone, take one square inch spoon with water, three times a day.
("Qianjin Fang") ③ To treat ear discharge with pus: sciaenid fish swim bladder, grind into powder, or burn until charred, grind and sprinkle into the ear.
("Pinhu Jijian Fang") ④ To treat rhinitis: fish brain stone (calcined) one qian, borneol one fen.
Grind together into powder, and inhale into the nose.
("Shandong Chinese Herbal Medicine Manual") ⑤ To treat chronic brain leakage: sciaenid bone, roast over fire and grind extremely fine, take one qian every night at bedtime, mixed with wine.
("Bencao Huiyan")
Reference: "Progress in Natural Science"
--------------------------------------
Learned something
Thank you
--------------------------------------
Understood. If I had not looked, I really would not have known how long I misunderstood it.
--------------------------------------
This is a free bone of the fish; the size of this bone can reflect the size of the fish
--------------------------------------
Freshwater fish have them too, just small ones
--------------------------------------
Learned something. Thank you
--------------------------------------
Learned something. Our laboratory does not do microscopic examination
--------------------------------------
Then is it good to use in livestock feed?
In fishmeal there are some small white flakes; sometimes very small ones are seen in a small sample, sometimes slightly larger ones of 2-8mm can be seen. Under the microscope, if you are not paying attention, you cannot see these white dots. Generally, when looking at a large sample, you would think these are larger fish bones or fish teeth. The main component of both fish bones and fish teeth is hydroxyapatite, with a calcium content of about 40% and a phosphorus content of about 19%. After sorting and identification, this substance has the following characteristics: it bubbles when hydrochloric acid is added, the calcium content is 39.5%, and the phosphorus content is so low it can be ignored. Microscopic examination is shown in the figure below
The surface is smooth, with no traces of crushing. Some small white dots are formed by even smaller stones bonded together, and are not transparent; they are neither minerals nor bones or teeth. Last night, someone suggested it might be the forehead stone of yellow croaker. Today, the supplier found some live yellow croakers, and when the forehead was opened, it was indeed the forehead stone. Each fish has two such stones; larger fish have larger stones, and smaller fish have smaller stones. After identification, they have the same properties as the stones found in the fishmeal. Seeing this kind of stone, one can judge that this fishmeal is composed in part of yellow croaker or other similar fish. The more of this kind of fish, the more of these stones. How is the quality of this fishmeal? Experts who know, please advise. Attachment: You need to log in to download or view attachments. No account? Register
--------------------------------------
In ichthyology it is called an otolith. Those in the Sciaenidae family are all very large, and not only yellow croaker has them; other fish also have them. From this alone, one cannot judge whether the fishmeal is good. For reference only.
--------------------------------------
Thank you Teacher Huang for the guidance. Previously I did not know how to look up information in this area. Now that I know this is an otolith, Sciaenidae, it is easy to handle. I wonder whether it exists in freshwater fish. If freshwater fish do not have it, then at least it proves that the marine fish content of the fishmeal is acceptable. The quality of fishmeal from marine fish should be better than that from freshwater fish, right?
--------------------------------------
Sciaenidae Sciaenidae
Species: There are 70 genera and 270 species worldwide, and Taiwan, China currently has 11 genera and 20 species
Ecology: bottom-dwelling, oviparous, carnivorous
The body is laterally compressed and elongated, the head is large, the head is covered with scales, there are small mucus pores on the cheeks, and the otoliths are large; from this, the Sciaenidae get their name. The swim bladder is large and special, and can produce sound. The maxilla is more or less covered by the preorbital bone, and the lower jaw has no barbels. Or there may occasionally be 1 single short barbel. The lower pharyngeal bones are not united. The palate usually has no teeth. The pectoral fins may have axillary scales. Fish of this family migrate to coastal estuarine areas to spawn, and they are important economic fish in our country, as well as the main trawling target of our country's marine fisheries. Large yellow croaker, small yellow croaker and hairtail are China's three major marine fish.
The Sciaenidae family includes the commonly known yellow croaker, white mouth, black mouth, Mi-iuy croaker and other high-quality seafood fish, and is the most important offshore economic fish in the coastal shelf area of mainland China. Sciaenids are mostly laterally compressed and elongated, with a rounded and blunt snout, a long dorsal fin, and a deep notch separating the spiny and soft-rayed parts. The lateral line is obvious and extends to the rear edge of the caudal fin, and there are often some pores on the snout and cheeks. Because the otoliths in the head of fish in this family are especially large, they are called "stone-head fish" (Sciaenidae); the shape of the otolith is also one of the bases for classification between genera and species of sciaenids. Sciaenids mainly inhabit tropical and subtropical shelf areas with sandy-mud bottoms. Those with small, inferior mouths mostly feed on invertebrates in the sand and mud, and they have large molar-like teeth in the pharynx that can crush shelled invertebrates; those with large, obliquely cleft mouths swim fast and mostly live by chasing small fish or other swimming crustaceans. Most sciaenids can use the swim bladder to produce sound. The large yellow croaker, which has a golden-yellow lower abdomen, was once common in Taiwan, China fish markets, but is now an extremely rare kind of yellow croaker.
Large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea, also called "large yellow flower" and "large fresh". When taken out of the water, the body is golden yellow, the caudal peduncle length is more than three times its height, there are 25-26 vertebrae, and the scales are relatively small. In the reproductive season it forms large groups and can emit a very loud sound (by contraction of the drumming muscle, pressing the swim bladder wall and causing the swim bladder wall to resonate), and makes short-distance migrations to spawn. The dried product of its swim bladder is the precious food "fish maw", and it is one of our country's important economic fish.
Small yellow croaker (P. polyctis), also called "yellow croaker" and "small fresh". Its body shape resembles the large yellow croaker, but its caudal peduncle is slightly thicker and shorter, with a length more than twice its height, and it generally has 29 vertebrae, with larger scales. Every spring it migrates to the coast to spawn and feed, and when in schools the swim bladder can produce sound. It is one of the important economic fish of the Yellow Sea, Bohai Sea and East China Sea.
Others such as: Nibea albiflora, Collichthys niveatus, Johnius belengerii, Argyrosomus argentatus, Miichthys miiuy
--------------------------------------
Fish brain stone (fish otolith)
[Source] It is the otolith in the skull of the sciaenid fish large yellow croaker or small yellow croaker.
[Collection] It is mostly a by-product when processing dried fish.
It is generally collected during the fishing season for sciaenids (yellow croaker) in May to June.
During processing, the largest otolith is taken out of the skull, washed clean, and air-dried.
[Medicinal material] It is a long oval-shaped, three-ridged particle.
The brain stone of the large yellow croaker is 1.5-2 cm long and 0.8-1.8 cm wide.
That of the small yellow croaker is smaller, 1-1.2 cm long and 5-7 mm wide.
It is wide in the middle, slightly round at one end, and pointed at the other end.
The whole body is magnetic white.
The articular surface is relatively flat, and obvious circular node marks can be seen on the surface; the other side bulges toward one side, and near the tip there is an oblique groove and several transverse processes. Below the bulging side, fine long lines can be seen, namely growth lines.
The texture is hard and not easy to break.
The odor is slight, and the taste is slightly astringent.
Those that are white, hard and free of impurities are preferred.
Mainly produced in Zhejiang.
[Processing] Wash clean and sun-dry, put in an iron spoon, cover with a bowl, calcine over a strong fire until a crackling sound is heard, then take out and let cool.
[Nature and flavor] "Yilin Zuanyao": salty, neutral.
[Functions and indications] Dissolve stones, free strangury, reduce inflammation.
Treats urolithiasis, difficult urination, otitis media, rhinitis, and brain leakage.
① "Rihua Zi Bencao": Take the brain pillow, burn it into powder, and drink it to treat urolithiasis.
② "Kaibao Bencao": Mainly treats discharge of stones in strangury; grind the stone and take it, or burn it into ash powder and take it.
③ "Gangmu": Grind into powder or burn and grind, take with water; mainly treats strangury, and inability to urinate.
Taken as a decoction, it resolves arsenic poison and wild mushroom poison.
[Usage and dosage] Internal use: grind into powder, 1-3 qian.
External use: burn until charred, grind into powder and sprinkle.
[Selected formulas] ① To treat urolithiasis and various strangury conditions: fourteen pieces of sciaenid head stone, and equal parts of angelica.
Grind and sieve the above two ingredients into a powder, use two sheng of water, boil down to one sheng, and take all at once.
("Yangsheng Biyong Fang") ② To treat inability to urinate: powder of sciaenid head stone, take one square inch spoon with water, three times a day.
("Qianjin Fang") ③ To treat ear discharge with pus: sciaenid fish swim bladder, grind into powder, or burn until charred, grind and sprinkle into the ear.
("Pinhu Jijian Fang") ④ To treat rhinitis: fish brain stone (calcined) one qian, borneol one fen.
Grind together into powder, and inhale into the nose.
("Shandong Chinese Herbal Medicine Manual") ⑤ To treat chronic brain leakage: sciaenid bone, roast over fire and grind extremely fine, take one qian every night at bedtime, mixed with wine.
("Bencao Huiyan")
Reference: "Progress in Natural Science"
--------------------------------------
Learned something
Thank you
--------------------------------------
Understood. If I had not looked, I really would not have known how long I misunderstood it.
--------------------------------------
This is a free bone of the fish; the size of this bone can reflect the size of the fish
--------------------------------------
Freshwater fish have them too, just small ones
--------------------------------------
Learned something. Thank you
--------------------------------------
Learned something. Our laboratory does not do microscopic examination
--------------------------------------
Then is it good to use in livestock feed?