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¹ Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University Makurdi, Benue State Nigeria DOI : 10.4194/AFS213 - This study analyzed the effect of retort processing on smoke-dried fish. Fresh Clarias gariepinus were smoked and divided into two groups – retort prosessed samples (RPS) and unretorted samples (URS). Samples were kept in normal room conditions. Significant differences were observed in the proximate compositions and microbial loads over time. The moisture content was higher in RPS (8.53% to 8.84%) compared to URS, with significant differences emerging from day 14. Protein content showed notable changes, with URS recording a high of 70.00±0.00% on day 14 and RPS dropping to the lowest at 65.28±0.40% by day 56. Lipid levels were highest in RPS, peaking at 15.43±0.10, and ash content was lower in RPS (4.39±0.02 on Day 28) compared to URS. Microbial analysis indicated a decrease in total viable count in RPS from the first day, whereas it increased in URS throughout the 56 days. Sensory evaluations showed no significant differences in RPS over time, maintaining high ratings in all categories while URS experienced a decline in sensory qualities, notably with flavour and general acceptability. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of retort processing in maintaining quality under extended storage. Keywords : Fish Safety Nutrient Stability