EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION METHODS ON THE QUALITY OF Tenualosa ilisha (Hilsa Shad) FISH

Giving priority on the post-harvest loss of nutritive value, the present study has been carried out to investigate the effectiveness of different processing and preservation methods on the quality of Tenualosa ilisha fish. 50 fish samples were divided into ten groups of five fishes and subsequent processing by different processing and preservation methods. Quality changes were observed based on sensory evaluation, proximate, mineral (Fe, Zn and Ca), vitamin (A, D and E) and microbiological analysis. Moisture, protein, fat and ash content varied from 12.30% to 64.31%, 10.23% to 43.98%, 13.08% to 28.14% and 1.37% to 8.18% respectively. Minerals Ca, Fe and Zn contents varied from 145.98 to 219.44 mg/100g, 0.98 to 1.91 mg/100 g and 0.90 to 1.21 mg/100 g respectively and Vitamin A, D and E contents manifold from 10.62 to 20.08 mg/100 g, 12.97 to 18.02 mg/100 g and 0.91 to 1.71 mg/100 g respectively. Total plate count (TPC) value of fish ranged from 0 to 3.24×104 CFU/g in and no coliforms found in any of the raw and processed Tenualosa ilisha fish that were analyzed. Results showed that processing and preservation method had portentous effects on the quality of fish (p < 0.05). Retention of wholesomeness was highest in freezing while drying and microwave processing manifested efficient method in terms of proximate analysis. Freezing reserves high content of vitamin A and E and smoking has enough efficacy for retaining vitamin D in fish along with freezing. Results from the microbiological study revealed that microwave processing is highly active to reduce the microbial load in fish.