Pineapple juice as an agent for the digestion of fish prior to the harvesting of metacercariae.

ABSTRACT

The efficacy of crude pineapple juice obtained from Ananus comosus in digesting fish for the harvesting of trematode metacercariae was investigated. No significant difference was found between the total number of metacercariae detected from fish (Cirrhina jullieni) digested by acid pepsin and those digested by freshly prepared pineapple juice that was kept for 15 days at a temperature of either -4 degrees C or -75 degrees C. However, fewer metacercariae were found when using juice that had been kept for more than 30 days. This study showed that freshly prepared pineapple juice kept frozen for 15 days could be used instead of commercial acid pepsin to digest fish for harvesting metacercariae, some of which could be used for further biological studies.