Effects of gamma irradiation on salted and frozen mullet fish during storage period

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to investigate the influence of gamma irradiation on decontamination of microbial loud of salted and frozen mullet fish. Mullet fish samples were divided into two groups: The first group was frozen at – 20C° and the second group was dry salted with ordinary commercial refined salt at ratio 1 kg fish / 0.8 kg. Each group was subjected to 0, 2.5 and 5 kGy of gamma irradiation doses before storage period. The results showed that, gamma irradiation hadn’t any significant (P?0.05) effects on the chemical composition and minerals content of mullet fish samples under investigation. Gamma irradiation doses (2.5 and 5.0 kGy) had not significant remarkable effect at P?0.05 on sensory properties (appearance, odor, texture and color) of dry and frozen mullet fish samples neither at zero time nor during storage periods. Microbial aspects (total bacterial counts, coliform bacteria, salmonella, sporeforming bacteria and total molds and yeasts) were detected. Also it could be concluded that, gamma irradiation had a significant (P?0.05) decrease effects on microbial loud and improve the microbiological safety of salted and frozen mullet fishes without any adverse effects on their chemical contents and quality.

Keywords: key words, Gamma irradiation, Salting, freezing, Mullet fish, Minerals, Microbial loud.