Abstract:
This research was intended to improve ripening quality characteristic of salt-fermented mackerel by addition of fish visceral enzyme. Two week ice-stored mackerel weighing 250-350 g each were taken from a fish market in Pekanbaru; and the fish were processed for salt-fermented fish in the Laboratory of Fish Processing Technology, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, University of Riau. Three batches of salt-fermented mackerel were prepared respectively from whole gutted fish + enzyme (A), whole gutted fish (B) and whole ungutted fish (C). The fish were ripened at room temperature for four weeks; and changes in their sensory quality characteristics, NPN, FFA, Halophilic and LAB counts were evaluated every week. The results showed that sensory quality characteristics of salt-fermented fish differed among the three lots during ripening process (P<0.05). Lot A had better quality characteristics and shorter ripening time than lot B but less quality characteristics and longer ripening time than lot C. NPN and FFA values in lot A were also higher than lot B but lower than lot C (P<0.05). Total halophilic counts in lot A were not significantly different from lot C (P>0.05), but higher than that lot B (P<0.05). There was an increasing trend in halophilic counts of the three lots during ripening process. Total lactic acid bacterial counts of the three lots decreased gradually up to the end of ripening (P<0.05).
