Production and Storage of Chinese Style Fish Sausage from Hybrid Clarias Catfish

Abstract

Chinese style fish sausage was produced from hybrid clarias catfish. The variations studied were kinds of lipids, i.e., pork fat or palm oil; amount of palm oil between 5 and 10 % (w/w) of fish meat; amount of spices between 1.2 and 1.6 % white pepper or 1.2 % white pepper plus 1.5 % mixed 5 spices powder (cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, star anise, fennel); drying time at 50^oC for 28 or 48 hours. The sensory evaluation of the finished products showed that fish sausage prepared with 10 % palm oil, 1.6 % white pepper and a drying time of 28 hours received higher sensory evaluation scores than other treatments. Therefore, the products prepared under these conditions were used for shelf life study. The changes of quality of the Chinese style fish sausage whether packed and stored under the modified atmosphere of 60 % CO₂ + 40 % N₂, vacuum, or air, indicated that at 4-6^oC, the shelf life of the products stored under a modified atmosphere or vacuum was at least 91 days. The shelf life of the products packed under air was only 63 days. At ambient temperatures (30-35^oC), the shelf life of products stored under modified atmosphere or vacuum was 28 days, and under air it could be kept for only 8 days.