INFLUENCE OF STORAGE-TEMPERATURE ON THE QUALITY OF SALTED MACKEREL (RASTRELLIGER-KANGURTA) AND PINK PERCH (NEMIPTERUS-JAPONICUS)

Dry-salted mackerel and pink perch were stored at two temperatures: am bient (26.8 +/- 3.3-degrees-C) and 2.5 +/- 1-degrees-C. Changes in moi sture content. salt content. water activity (a(w)), peroxide value (PV ), free fatty acid content (FFA), total volatile base nitrogen (TVBN) content, halophilic bacterial count and sensory scores for overall acc eptability were studied. Loss of moisture and absorption of salt were considerably higher in the products stored at ambient temperature. The decrease in a(w) was more pronounced at ambient temperature than at t he lower temperature. Although the chemical indices of freshness (PV, FFA and TVBN) and the halophilic counts showed increasing trends. they were considerably lower in the products stored at the lower temperatu re. Sensory evaluation for overall acceptability indicated that storag e at the lower temperature could considerably extend the shelf-life of salted fish.