Catfish oil is a type of oil derived from the tissues of the fish. It is often used as a supplement to food because it has a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for staying healthy. Catfish oil has been known to prevent heart disease, stroke, and some cancers; it also helps to regulate blood sugar level and can improve arthritis symptoms. The analysis of the physicochemical properties of oils obtained from aquatic sources helps to ascertain their qualities for use in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Fish oil, especially catfish oil, is gaining recognition due to its nutritional and therapeutic benefits. It is important to analyze the physicochemical properties of its crude and purified form for industrial application. Oil was extracted from African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), and purified.
The analysis of physical and chemical properties of both crude and purified oil was carried out and compared. The moisture content and iodine value of purified oil were significantly increased (p<0.05) by 80% and 79.9% respectively while a significant decrease in the free fatty acid (7.1%), unsaponifiable matters (99.1%), and melting point (76%) occurred in the purified oil. Specific gravity, peroxide value, acid value, saponification value, and refractive index of the refined oil were not significantly different from those of the crude oil. Based on our findings, both purified and unpurified catfish oil are suitable for human consumption, it could be suitable for industrial applications such as food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics.