Effect of Dipping Time in Brine on the Quality of Smoked Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) Stored at 23 – 260C and 40C.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of dipping time in brine on the shelf-life of hot-smoked Silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) stored at ambient (23-26ºC) and refrigeration (4ºC) temperature. The fish in two treatments named A and B were salt-dipped for 15 and 30 minutes respectively in a saturated brine solution (≈25 % NaCl). The fish were then smoked at 75ºC in an improved traditional smoking kiln followed by cooling. After sealing in polythene bags the smoked products were stored separately at ambient and refrigeration temperature. Four major analysis viz. sensory assessment, initial and final proximate analysis, chemical analysis and microbial analysis were carried out on the samples. According to sensory assessment the 30 minutes brine dipped smoked fish kept at ambient temperature showed a higher shelf-life of four days. On 5 th day, appearance of fungus on the product of treatment B confirmed its acceptability up to 4 days. Similarly the samples of two treatments A and B stored at refrigeration temperature showed a longer shelf-life of up to 41 and 48 days respectively. The rate of lipid deterioration and protein breakdown were found very gradual and not significant. In all cases ash content increased slightly. No appreciable changes in proximat