Studies on Minced Fish Technology

Abstract

The quality of minced fish, as mentioned earlier depends largely on the type and quality of the raw material used, as well as on the processing methods employed. Moreover, fish mincing involves cutting up of tissues thereby increasing surface area to a great extent and releasing of enzymes and nutrients from the tissues. Due to these factors fish mince is relatively more prone to chemical. autolytic and microbial spoilage. Hence study of minced fish with these factors in focus is very important. Equally important is the availability, price and preference of the raw material vis-a-vis the end products and the storage period it passes through. In the present study. changes in the bacterial flora. both quantitative and qualitative of the dressed fish, viz. Nemipterus japonicas and mince from the same fish during freezing and frozen storage have been investigated in detail. The effect of a preservative. viz. . EZDTA on the bacteriological and shelf life characteristics of the minced fish has also been investigated. Attempts have also been made to develop various types of products from mince and to study their storage life.