EFFECT OF GILL REMOVAL AND GUTTING ON THE QUALITY OF FISH UNDER DIFFERENT STORAGE CONDITION

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of gill removal and gutting on the quality of fish during different storage period. Fish samples were collected from a local market of Sylhet. Quality changes in fish during different storage condition were investigated by using organoleptic, biochemical and microbiological aspects. There were two groups of samples of which one were intact and other was gill and gut removed. During the storage period, the processed samples showed an extended shelf life at all storage conditions with higher nutritional value. The moisture content in intact sample was ranged from 77.82% to 76.13%, 77.82% to 80.07%, 77.82% to 68.11% and in case of processed sample 77.42% to 75.89%, 77.82% to 78.57%, 77.82% to 67.11% at ambient temperature, ice condition and frozen condition respectively. The protein content in intact sample was ranged from 16.91% to 15.16%, 16.91% to 13.43%, and 16.91% to 13.03% and in case of processed sample 16.91% to 15.56%, 15.09% to 14.20% at ambient temperature, ice condition and frozen condition respectively. The lipid content showed an inverse relation with moisture content and ranged from 3.21% to 3.17%, 3.21% to 1.97%, 3.21% to 3.27% in case of intact sample and 3.21% to 3.13%, 3.21% to 2.05%, 3.21% to 3.40% in case of processed sample in different storage period. The ash content of intact sample was ranged from 2.11% to 2.41%, 2.11% to 1.23%, and 2.11% to 2.64% whereas the result of the processed sample was 2.11% to 3.9%, 2.11% to 1.57% and 2.11% to 2.79% at different periods of ambient temperature, ice condition and frozen condition respectively. The pH value of the intact sample was ranged from 7.10 to 8.32, 7.10 to 6.67, 7.10 to 8.25 but the pH value of processed sample was ranged from 7.10 to 7.99, 7.10 to 6.99 and 8.39 at different periods of ambient temperature, ice condition and frozen condition respectively. Microbial load of the intact sample increased from 3.11×10 CFU/gm in ice stored sample whereas microbial load of processed sample was 2.7×10 5 CFU/gm to 8.5×10 8 day of observation. On the other hand, microbial load of the Sample A at frozen storage decreased from 3.11×10 4 CFU/gm to 5.2×10 6 CFU/gm at 15 th CFU/gm but the microbial load of the processed sample decreased at a level of 2.7×10 5 CFU/gm to 4.8×10 4 CFU/gm. Finally it is revealed that the removal of gill and gut decrease the rate of spoilage in fish which resulted in an extension of shelf life.