whole body fish carcass and bone samples were analyzed for calcium and phosphorus
content. Vertebrae bone was separated from adhering tissue by subjecting to pulsed
microwave in a Philips Cooktronic M718 microwave oven. Calcium was determined by
a dry ash method with potassium permanganate titration (AOAC, 1984). Phosphorus
was determined by a mixed acid digestion followed by addition of molybdovanadate
(Yoshida et al., 1976).