DEVELOPMENT OF FISH FINGER FROM ROHU (Labeo rohita) AND ITS QUALITY EVALUATION DURING REFRIGERATED STORAGE CONDITION

Study was conducted to study the shelf life, proximate composition, biochemical, microbiological and organoleptic changes in fish finger prepared from minced meat of fish rohu (Labeo rohita) with suitable recipe. Prepared fish finger was stored in refrigerated condition at 4 0 C ± 1 0 C for 11 days. The yield rate of minced meat from the whole fish was 39.31 %. The moisture and protein content of fish finger during refrigerated storage was decreased significantly from 64.90 % to 57.36 % and 18.5 % to 16.29 % (P < 0.01) respectively while fat and ash content were increased significantly from 8.68 % to 15.33 % and 2.5 % to 3.43 % (P<0.01) respectively. The pH of fish finger decreased significantly (P<0.01) from 6.95 to 6.44. PV of fish finger increased from 10.73 to 17.8 meqO2/kg of fat till the end of 5 th day of storage and subsequently decreased to 10.4 meqO2/kg of fat at the end of 15 days of storage period. The pattern of change in free fatty acid content and TBA of fish finger was gradual increment from 0.0014 to 0.0046 % of oleic acid and 0.095 to 1.030 mg MA/kg of sample respectively (P<0.01). The TVBN content steadily increased significantly (P<0.01) from an initial value of 2.65 to 4.43 mg/100g sample during 15 days refrigerated storage. TPC and psychrophilic bacterial count increased steadily (P<0.01) from the initial count of 5.68 x 10 2 cfu/g of sample to 1.72 x 10 5 cfu/g of sample and from 2.54 x 10 2 cfu/g of sample to 1.24 x 10 5 cfu/g of sample respectively. The overall mean acceptability scores declined significantly (P<0.01) with increase storage period. The ideal shelf life for storing the fish finger in refrigerated condition was found as 9 days.