PRODUCT STANDARDIZATION OF DRIED SARDINES

( Sardinella lemuru) AND MACKEREL TUNA( Euthynnus affinis) by

DETERMINATION OF PHYSICO- CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

By:

CLARRICE MAY L. HALLADOR

A Proposal for an Undergraduate Thesis Presented

to the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
University of the Philippines Visayas

JANUARY 2018
I. INTRODUCTION

1.1.Background of the Study

Drying fish are one of the ancient methods of food preservation exercised in

many countries including the Philippines. Fish are an extremely perishable foodstuff.

Spoilage occurs as the result of the action of enzymes (autolysis) and bacteria present

in the fish, and also chemical oxidation of the fat which causes rancidity. At the high

temperatures prevalent in tropical countries, bacterial and enzymatic action is

enhanced. Fish invariably become putrid within a few hours of capture unless they are

preserved or processed in some way to reduce this microbial and autolytic activity

and, hence, retard spoilage (Clucas, et.al, 1981). Drying is removal of water from the

product (Wheaton and Lawson, 1985). A lot of standard drying methods for different

species of fish have been studied by many researchers. Sardines and Tuna mackerel

species of fish are one the species of fish that is yet to have a product standard in

terms of drying method. One of the reasons for such is that in the Philippines for

instance, these species of fish are commonly processed as canned products which

earned a high market value over the years. Sardines and Tuna species of fish are two

of the fish species in demand worldwide as processed canned products (FAO, 2008).

Though local fish farmers in many areas in the Philippines sell these species dried by

using conventional drying methods (sun drying). In local and larger markets here in

the Philippines tuna mackerel and sardines are commonly bought fresh or canned in

the market. Dried products of these fish species do not have a high market value

compared to canned but it is still an in demand commodity to common people due to

its cheap price. In other countries such as Japan, which is one of the largest

consumers and producers of processed fish products, they have developed a

traditional method of drying sardine and tuna mackerel fish species which are served

in Japanese hotels and sold locally. They utilized juvenile sardines and adult tuna

mackerel for drying. The most used method is salt brining tuna mackerel or sardine

(depending on size) for 1 to 2 hours then sun dried (Itoh, 2015).

Different drying methods for fish preservation have been developed to ensure

quality dried products and these methods varies from simple and low- cost

procedures such as air or contact drying methods( King and Johnson, 1990),

microwave heating (Hosain, et.al, 2012) to vacuum and freeze drying methods(

Yaqin, et.al, 2013) . These different dying methods have varying but significant

effects to fish final product.

Moisture content, aw (water activity) and histamine values are the main factors

that should be on the optimum in order to ensure high quality dried fish products.

These fundamentals have been the basis of fish drying researches that has been

conducted to produce high quality final product (Doe, 1986).

Studies using sun- dying methods revealed its limitations being the most common

drying procedure. These includes products contamination, slow drying rate, high

moisture content, short shelf life and weather dependence leading to use of artificial

means of drying( Viratchacul, 1975) .In a related study conducted by Viratchacul

1975, drying temperature of 77 degrees celsius coupled with 56 m/sec air velocity

could be used satisfactorily to sardines and herring. Effects of traditional drying and

use of solar dryer(tent) on mullet, croaker and sardine has been compared and

resulted on using dryer as more advantageous due to faster drying rate along with

other factors( Espejo- Hermes, et.al, 1985) . A comparative study on drying methods

using sun and artificial (Torry Kiln) dryers on hairtail was conducted by Cardino

1994 and resulted to better quality in artificially dried that sun dried. Later on, the use

of artificial dryers has been developed for fish dehydration and drying and was

proven effective than contact drying.

Attempts to improve quality of dried final products have also been conducted by

the use of pre drying treatment methods such as pre- cooking and use of additives.

Among the additives that have been studied are butylated hydroxytoluene and sodium

benzoate. The sensory peroxide value and yeast count showed that 0.01% of BHT

and 0.5% of sodium benzoate was the most effective combination treatment.

(Francisco,1978). Sorbistat (a brand of ascorbic acid) was used by Bersamin et.al,

1961 as additive in drying fish. The concentration of 1.0% solution has proven to

prevent mold on whole dried fish for 5 months. Affectivity was most when treated

fish were stored on cellophane bags. Split- fish when brined overnight, then washed

in 0.5 % sorbistat solution for 1 hour showed no development of molds for over a

year ( Bersamin et.al, 1961). In a study conducted by Lesca 1974, pretreatment by

soaking fish to beer, sodium carbonate and lime prior to steaming and drying yields a

product of tender texture. The effects of pre drying treatments such as salting,
 brining, pickling and brining with pre-heated brine (60-70 degrees celcius) to the

proximate composition, drying rate, storage stability and rehydration capacity of

finished products are have also been studied among sardine, mackerel and threadfin

bream species and resulted to significant improvement to final product despite

varying advantages and disadvantages among pre-treatment methods ( Lacsamana,

1980).

Studies have also been made on storage stability and packaging requirements of

dried products. In a study conducted by Sulit and Laron 1959 using dried split-salted

bisugo, the recommended curing of fish in a concentrated brine of either pure solar

salt or sun dried for less than 16 hours with the appropriate soaking time of 120

minutes with 17.44% NaCl content. The storage stability studies on dried products

included dried seasoned squid (Sumaydeng, 1978) and rabbit fish ( danngit) by

Munar and Acevedo, 1985.Packaging requirements on dried fish products showed

that the most suitable packaging material for the product requires allowable water

vapor transmission rate (WVTR)of 17.21 g water/day/m 2 under relative humidity of

81% and temperature between 28-30 degrees celsius. It also showed that polyester-

polyethylene laminates perform better in terms of mold growth retardation than other

materials ( Palmores at.al, 1986).

1.2. Statement of the Problem

Product standardization of fish products is important in order to determine and

establish the appropriate and standard procedure in order to produce high quality and
 low cost product. Many species of fish already have an established product standard.

Sardinella lemuru and Euthynnus affinis being among of the most produced and

highly marketable species of fish should also have yet an established product standard

for dried processing. Since most of the sardine and tuna mackerel fishes are sold

canned, this is an opportunity to increase market value of Sardinella lemuru and

Euthynnus affinis dried products. This will be achieved by determining the most

suitable curing methods that would enhance the quality of the dried product despite

using the conventional sun drying procedure. Although the method is conventional, it

is still the most convenient and widely used method of drying. The effects of the

curing methods will be analyzed by determining the physicochemical properties of

the fish.

1.3.Significance of the Study

Processing of fish involves primarily the application of preservation

techniques in order to retain quality and increase shelf life. It may also mean

adding value to produce a wide variety of products. A number of methods are

used to preserve fish. There are various techniques based on temperature control,

using ice, refrigeration or freezing; others on the control of water activity that

includes drying, salting, smoking and freeze-drying. (AgroProducts, 2013)

Techniques may rely on the physical control of microbial fish loads, such

as through microwave heating or ionizing irradiation or on chemical control of

microbial activity and loads by adding acids. Techniques are also used that are
 based on oxydo-reduction, such as vacuum packaging. Most often a combination

of different techniques is used to preserve fish. Given the range of different

combination techniques in drying, the establishment of a product standard for

dried sardine Sardinella lemuru and tuna mackerel Euthynnus affinis is yet to be

determined. Given these species are in demand commercially, determining a

standard drying method will help enhance product quality and market value.

1.4.Objectives of the Study

The study aims to establish a product standard for dried sardines Sardinella

lemuru and tuna mackerel Euthynnus affinis by determining the appropriate drying

procedures (from procuring to final product) and by analyzing the physico- chemical

composition of fish products which includes determination of optimum salt content

along with values for aw, moisture content, temperature and relative humidity. It is

to create efficient standard production procedure for dried versions of these fish

species while using the widely used drying methods such as sun drying and Torry

kiln. Determining the pretreatment methods to be used play a vital role in these

process since other drying methods though more efficient than the ones mention are

either expensive or inaccessible. Established product standard will also be compared

to the commercially available dried products also through determination of their

physico chemical properties.

Limitations and delimitations - The study only focuses on establishing product

standard for the two fish species Sardinella lemuru and Euthynuss affinis.

Establishment of product standard only covers the following: Pre-treatment methods

 (, salt brining, use of food additives), drying method (open air/sun drying, mechanical

dryer), physicochemical composition (aw, salt, moisture content,). Ideal temperature

and relative humidity will determined and monitored during the process. Other factors

such as packaging and shelf life determination procedures are not included in product

standardization. Other drying procedures such as use freeze drying and vacuum

drying will not be utilized due to inability of equipment, high cost of procedure and

time. In physic chemical analysis, other methods such as Tg analysis for

determination of aw, moisture content, etc. will not be used. The study will only

utilize efficient, available and low cost procedures to lessen financial strain but

ensuring that the established standard will produce good quality dried product and the

procedures to be easy to follow.

1.5.Hypothesis of the Study

The established product standard for dried sardines Sardinella lemuru and

mackerel tuna Euphynnus affinis has better quality compared to the commercially

available dried products of the same species.

Use of additives improves dried product quality.

Null Hypothesis- There will be no significant difference in the acceptability of

commercial dried sardines Sardinella lemuru and mackerel tuna Euphynnus affinis

and the experimental standard produced.

Additives have insignificant effect in enhancing quality of dried fish product

II. RELATED LITERATURE

Sardinella lemuru

Sardinella lemuru is a well-known species spread in eastern Indian Ocean

including southern coasts of East Java, Bali and Lombok (Mahrus et al 2012). It

forms thedominant part of small pelagic fisheries production in the Philippines (De

Guzman et al2012). Sardinella lemuru common length for adult is 20cm with

maximum lengths of 23 cm. Sardines in the Philippines form shoals in coastal waters

over the continental shelf where depth are less than 200 meters (Luceno et al 2014).

Additionally, S. lemuru is not just consumed as fresh fish, it is also processed for

fishmeal, canning and dried for consumption.

Euthynnus affinis

Euthynnus affinis, popularly known as the ‘little tuna’ or ‘kawakawa’ is a medium

sized tuna occurring throughout the near-shore continental shelf areas of the Arabian

waters, where water temperatures vary between 18 and 29°C (Poisson 2006 ). In the

Arabian Sea, this species extends from Cape St. Francis, South Africa (Smith and

Heemstr,1986), along the coasts of East Africa, Arabian Peninsula, the Indian sub-

continent, and the Malaysian Peninsula. Maximum fork length is about 100 cm and

weight about 13.6 kg, common to 60 cm. World little tuna fisheries are reviewed in

terms of commercially important species, by ocean and by major fishing gear types.

Little tuna are very important economically and are a significant source of protein

food. The reported world catch (eight countries) for the period between 1975 and

1981 fluctuated between about 44,000 and 65,000 t per year. The 1977 catches were
exceptionally high, almost 84,000 t. About 67,500 t were reported for 1981 (FAO

2008). The countries with the largest landings were the Philippines, Malaysia and

India. Commercial landings of this species are low due to rapid deterioration in meat

quality after death making it difficult to market. The Mackerel tuna is a popular

recreational species, particularly as bait for game fishing (FAO,2008)

Fish Drying Methods

As huge quantities of fresh fish are caught every day, much of them remain

unsold because of shortage of buying customers, as a result big amount of post-

harvest loss occurs. Bulk catches are destroyed at that time due to unavailability of

processing and preservation facilities. Therefore, the local people and also some

entrepreneurs come forward to produce dried fish. Different drying methods have

been developed over the years to enhance the quality of dried fish products. Among

the most common method is sun drying or air/contact drying method. It is

considered as the most economical method of drying that is very dependent on the

elements such as rain, change in humidity, cloud cover, contamination from dust,

insects, rodents, etc. The concept of this drying method is that the heat transferred to

fish from the heated air or the heated surface and air movement above the fish

tremoves moisture. In this method, the fish are simply laid on the beach or on raised

drying racks. In a study conducted by King and Johnson 1990, using raised racks has

been proven the most efficient way of sun drying fish. This is due to the reasons that a

height of 1 meter above ground allows stronger air currents to efficiently dry the fish

and allows air to circulate around the product increasing the drying rate. This method

also improves product safety since it can easily be protected during rains and less
product loss due to domestic animals such as rodents and insects. The use of a sloping

rack allows any exudate to drain away. Despite the economic advantages of sun

drying, the drawbacks of this method led to the development of sun dryers to dry

aquatic products (King and Johnson, 1990).

A solar fish dryer is a system where solar heated air passes over the products,

which are placed in a protected environment. The solar collector is a simple layer of

transparent plastic cover and alike, which prevents dust and other airborne particles

from contaminating the product (Espejo- Hermes, 1998). Solar dryers employ some

means of collecting or concentrating solar radiation with the result that elevated

temperatures and, in turn, lower relative humidities are achieved for drying. When

using solar dryers, the drying rate can be increased, lower moisture contents can be

attained and product quality is higher. The dryers are less susceptible to variations in

weather, although drying is obviously slower during inclement weather, they do

provide shelter from the rain. The high internal temperatures discourage the entry of

pests into the dryer and can be lethal to any which do enter (Doe, 1979).

The concept of freeze drying is the evaporation of moisture from fish placed in a

vacuum quickly cools the fish due to the transfer of heat energy. The fish freeze after

about 15 per cent of the water has evaporated. If the fish are allowed to freeze during

drying, they do not shrink and will dry with an open porous structure. They will

rapidly reconstitute to look very similar to fresh fish although the water will not be as

tightly bound as in fresh fish. If heat is applied to the fish in a vacuum drier and they
 are not allowed to freeze, shrinkage similar to that found in normal air dried fish

occurs. For rapid freeze drying, some heat must be supplied to the fish if evaporation

is to proceed at a rapid rate. Moisture must also be removed from the vacuum

chamber, otherwise it will become saturated and no further drying will be possible.

Freeze drying requires a high energy input and is only feasible for very high value

products. Freeze dried products have the advantage that they can be stored under

ambient conditions as long as the packaging is impervious to waste.

Pretreatment methods before drying

The principle of wet salting is to keep the fish for a long time in a solution of salt

and water, otherwise known as brine.(Taura,1997)

Brining is one of the methods used for wet salting. This method is used when the

product will be further processed by drying. Brining requires the water used to be

saturated with salt. To make the brine, the mixture of four parts of clean water and

one part of salt ( for example, 10 litres (2 gallons) of clean, fresh water to 2.7 kg-3.6

kg (6-8lbs of dry salt) in a clean, large plastic drum is used for large quantities of fish.

Saturated brines are often used by keeping the addition of salt to the water, until no

more salt will dissolve. Though this usually results to relatively salty dried fish and is

most commonly used in brining small fishes. When using the wet method, it is best to

use a fine salt that dissolves faster. Large crystals can be ground to make them

smaller and easier to dissolve. Fatty fish are best salted using the wet method.

Recommended fish are mackerel and sardine.(Tuara,1997). Use of additives during

pretreatment proves significant effect in fish quality. Despite that, some additives are
less accessible and even expensive. Baking soda on the other hand is a well-known

food additive and is available in most markets. Baking soda is often mixed with cold

water and is used for transport of fish hasten the process of spoilage. It is also mixed

in brines since it tenderizes the meat faster than other additives, though it produces a

bitter taste when mixed with alkaline solution. The baking soda delays spoilage by

drawing the water out of the fish's cells and tissues due to its molecular

structure(Sloan, 200). Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is chiefly responsible for

retarding enzyme breakdown, helping to maintain thefish coloration and fresh scent.

It also helps toughen the fish, but to a lesser extent than salt. Small amount if enough

to be incorporated to produce results .Though it is effective in transport of fish, there

is no proven study yet that it helps hasten spoilage in dried fish products.

Phases of drying

The process taking place during drying may be divided into two phases. Burgess

et al, 1965 stated that initially, water on or near the surface of the fish evaporates.

This phase is termed as the constant rate period because drying continues at a

constant rate equal to the rate of evaporation from a free water surface (Horner,

1997). The rate of drying during this phase is influenced by a number of factors such

as surface area of the fish, relative humidity of the air, temperature, product thickness

and salt content. The larger the fish exposed to drying air, the faster the evaporation

of moisture. The humidity in the air influences the drying rate by limiting the amount

of water the air absorbs. The drying temperature affects the rate of heat transfer and

the relative humidity. Warm air holds more moisture than cold air. If air temperature
is raised without the addition of water, the relative humidity drops. Lower relative

humidity favor more rapid evaporation and higher drying rates. The amount of heat

transferred to the fish is equal to the difference in temperature between air and the

product (Wheaton and Lawson, 1985). High temperature differences increases heat

transfer and drying rate. In terms of product thickness, the thicker the fish, the slower

the drying rate. A greater percentage of the water present is removed from thinner

fish than from thick one due to shorter diffusion path length of the former. The salt

content influences the drying rate of the fish. Lower salt content has faster drying rate

while heavily salted fish will form salt crust in the surface that will reduce the

diffusion rate of water and subsequently, the drying rate (Espejo- Hermes, 1980)

The second phase called falling rate starts when water on or near the surface of the

fish has already been evaporated. This phase is genetically characterized by slowly

decreasing rate of drying. The water molecules take longer time to reach the surface

from the deeper parts of the fish. Several factors affect drying rate during this phase

such as product shape, temperature, relative humidity and salt content. The shape size

and thickness of the fish will affect the drying rate. Diffusion of water is a function of

thickness, thus the thicker the flesh, the longer the drying time. Drying proceeds more

rapidly with increasing temperature. The rate of during is the function of the

difference between the product and equilibrium water content. Since equilibrium

water depends on relative humidity, drying rate will also chane with relative

humidity. However, this is only significant when the value of RH is very high(

Espejo-Hermes,1971).
Artificial drying

A number of factors can be controlled when drying fish artificially to ensure optimum

drying conditions. These are: Temperature, relative humidity, air speed and fish

surface area. In terms of temperature, the higher the temperature, the quicker the

drying. This, however, has to be balanced against the damage which is caused by

over-heating the fish and the extra cost of increasing the temperature in a mechanical

drier. In general, the initial drying temperature should be restricted to 25 to 45° C.

Tropical fish can withstand a higher processing temperature (35-45° C) during drying

with no signs of heat damage as compared to temperate fish which may not withstand

temperatures higher than 25-30° C. The moisture content of the air is important for

two reasons: it controls the drying and influences the appearance of the final product.

The drier the air, the lower the relative humidity thus, the faster the drying rate. If,

however, the air is too dry, the surface of the fish will dry too quickly resulting in

case hardening. The relative humidity is dependent on local conditions but, as a

guideline during initial drying, a 50-65% RH is suitable for optimal drying. This can

be lowered by raising the air temperature during the later drying stages. Air speed is

the factor to be considered due to the fact that a faster flow of air over the fish results

in even and rapid drying. This is due to a more uniform temperature distribution and a

quicker removal of moisture from the fish. A compromise must be made between the

higher cost of faster air circulation with a mechanical drier and the improved drying

rate gained with a high air speed. Therefore, an air speed between 60 and 120 m per

minute is normally used when drying fish with a mechanical drier. Large whole fish

take longer to dry than small fish due to the greater difficulty of removing water from
inside the flesh of the fish. Large fish should, therefore, be split to increase the

surface area. The flesh should also be scored if it is thicker than 2 cm (Beatty and

Fuegere, 1980).

In the study conducted by Hosain et.al, 2012, the salted fishes were dried in an

industrial drier at a relative humidity close to 60%, at a temperature of 19–20 _C and

an air velocity of 2–2.6 m/s (Bras and Costa, 2010). Rozainee and Ng 2010

investigated the effects of microwave powe rand hot air temperature on drying time,

dehydration behaviour, energy consumption and colour of dried catfish at microwave

– hot air dryer, reporting that microwave assisted dehydration saving energy about

80–90% compared to convective hot air drying. Wu and Mao (2008) studied the

influences of hot air drying and microwave drying on nutritional and odorous

properties of grass carp fillets. They found that the microwave drying as an efficient

drying process for fish fillets. Bellagha et al. (2007) studied the drying of salted fish

(sardine) at 40 _C, 15% RH and 1.5 m/s. They observed that the drying rate showed

two falling drying periods. Drying rate during the first falling period was affected by

salting method.

Types of dried fish products

Small pelagic fish species such as sardines and anchovies are usually dried round

or whole. The product has usually a dull white to yellowish color with a salty taste. It

has a distinctive dried fishy flavor and slight fishy odor. The product made from
sardine is locally known as tuyo. A commercial tuyo according to the Food Standards

committee Preliminary Draft is recommended to have the following composition:

moisture 40%(maximum), 12% salt (recommended level of sodium chloride provided

that the prescribed water activity is not exceeded) , 0.78 water activity, and histamine

of 60mg/100 edible portion (Luis et.al, 1987).

For slightly bigger fish, they are dried split-salted. Fish species such as threadfin

bream (bisugo), milkfish and mackerel are dried split salted. It has a salty, fishy

flavor and odor. However, due to the scarcity of the fish species commonly used,

other species has been used such as rabbitfish (samara) and scads (galunggong). The

physicochemical requirements for commercial split- salted fish are similar to the

whole fish (Luis et.al, 1987)

Physico-chemical Composition Analysis

Water Activity( aw) and Water Content

Water activity gives potential effect to the chemical reaction rate occurring in the

food product as well as to the microbiological growth rate. (Labuza,1970). Stability

of food product is significantly affected by water activity (Aw). Modeling studies of

absorption properties are important in predicting shelf life of low and intermediate-

moisture food (Labuza, 1970; and 1980; Roos, et.al., 1996). Aw has main effect to the

food shelf life because it can involve in deterioration which can subsequently affect

the quality of food in general. Water content and water activity (Aw) determine the

development of deterioration rate (chemical and microbiological reaction) taking

place in the food system. Most of enzymes will be prevented when the food system

has Aw below 0,85. Most of bacteria cannot grow at Aw below 0.91 and for yeast

cannot grow at Aw below 0.80 (Buckle, et al., 1987). Such enzymes that can be

prevented include amylase, phenoloxidase and peroxydase. However, for lipase

cannot be prevented because it can stand in low Aw of 0,3 or even at Aw 0,1.

Poernomo (1995) stated that Aw affect in determining shelf life of food, because Aw

give influence on physical properties (hardness), chemical properties, microbiological

and enzymatic deterioration especially for processed food. Non enzymatic browning

reaction (Maillard reaction) is one of important factor that can cause deterioration of

food. Other reaction that can affect water activity of food is hydrolysis of

protopectine, degradation and demethylation of pectin, hydrolysis of fat by

autocatalytic, and conversion of chlorophyll to pheophitin. (Lonsin, et al., 1968). .

Based on the results of the study conducted by Agustini et.al, 2009, each sample of

dried fish products has different Aw value which impact on their shelf life of the

product. Desrosier, N (1988) stated that generally humidity is related to Aw.

Naturally, food commodity (before and after processing) is hygroscopic and they

absorb and release water containing in the food to the air which in turn affect the Aw

value of the product. Different Aw value was resulted from different processing

techniques and characteristic of the product. The presence of salt causes common

spoilage organisms to stop growth at higher moisture content (wet basis), usually 35-

45% (Wheaton and Lawson, 1985). Water activity can be measured using a Luff aw

meter or by calculation from measured salt, moisture and fat contents (Doe, 1986).

The water activity of the product can be used to predict the storage time of the fish
 Moisture Content

Water content of food product determines acceptability of the product by

consumers, as well as determines shelf life of the product. Most of reactions taken

place in the food materials is derived from water content whether it is coming from

outside or from the food itself and will affecting on quality changing of the product.

(Winarno, 2002). Based on the experiment conducted by Agustini et.al, 2009, the

water content of the different fish products studied ranged between 8.28% - 37.28%.

Free water plays an important role in deterioration process of food including fish

product through microbial process, chemical, and enzymatic. Water in other different

form (bound water, capillary form etc.) does not involve in such deterioration

process. Therefore, water content cannot be considered as absolute parameter in

determining and predicting the rate of food deterioration. Other parameter such as

water activity (Aw) is more appropriate in determining the ability of water in

deterioration process of food. (Sudarmadji,1996). The amount of moisture in the

product can be expressed as wet and dry basis or salt free or fat free basis. Moisture

content of fish is commonly measured by drying the sample for 24 hours at 105

degrees. (Espejo- Hermes,1998).

Glass transition Temperature ( Tg)

Glass transition temperature (Tg) is an important physical parameter in food

science because it has explained the physical and chemical behavior of food system

(Bell and Touma, 1996). Study on such products based on its glass transition
temperature is still rare. On the other hand, glass transition phases of dried product

plays an important role in determining its stability because it can give an overview of

physicochemical properties of the products. The glass transition is promoted by the

addition of heat and/or the uptake of plastiziser and occurs in amorphous material

over a range of temperature. Using its glass transition temperature, dried fish product

can be estimated for its shelf life. Therefore, in this experiment, analysis of Tg was

conducted together with other parameter of Aw and water content to evaluate the

quality of some dried fish products that has potential prospect in the future for export

commodities (Agustini et.al,2009).

Salting during Pre treatment

A good fishery salt must strike quickly. It must come out of the fish readily on

freshening. It must contain little or no objectionable impurities, particularly

compounds of magnesium, iron, and copper. It must contain no bacteria capable of l

iving and growing in the presence of salt. I t must be of suitable particle size. Fine salt

has two bad faults: it tends to become caked or solid in moist weather, and it is more

difficult to salt evenly with it than with coarse salt. On the other hand, coarse salt

strikes more slowly and may mark the surface of the fish. Probably the most suitable

salt results from the mixing of fine evaporated salt with an equal volume of coarse

salt which contains particles up to about 1/4 inch diameter. The quantity of salt to be

used per 1 00 lb. of split fish may vary between 8 and 1 0 lb. The ideal quantity,

however, is 8 lb. , since 10 lb. gives a product which is on the heavy salted side. Eight

pounds may be used during the spring and early faU seasons when temperatures vary
between 60 and 65°F. , but 1 0 l b .m u s t be added during the warm summer months

of July and August (Hosain et.al,1981).

Salt as preservative

Salt is a valuable agent in helping to prevent spoilage. Salt preserves by extracting

water. This is called dehydration (drying), and happens because water from inside the

fish is drawn out into the strong salt solution outside the fish. As the water moves out,

the salt moves in, penetrating deep into the flesh of the fish. Water is essential for

bacteria (germs) to grow, so if the water is removed, bacteria cannot grow.

Furthermore, the spoilage bacteria do not like salty conditions. The more salt in the

fish, the more they dislike it.(Tuara,1997)

It is important to use clean, dry salt for preserving fish. Dirty salt should not be

used and if the salt is wet, it must first be dried. There are some special bacteria that

like to live in salt--these are called the salt-loving bacteria or halophiles. They require

salty conditions to grow and can easily be identified in salt because of their pink or

red colour. These specialized bacteria can spoil fish, producing unpleasant

smells.(Tuara,1997)

Practical methods for preserving seafood

As with the preparation of fish for salting, fish selected for drying must be as

fresh as possible. If ice is available, the freshly-caught fish should be placed on ice

until it is required for processing. If no ice is available, clean the fish with fresh or sea
 water, place it in a clean box and cover it with a wet cloth or mat to protect it from

sunlight, dust and flies.

Raw material of the best quality should be to make the best products. Stale or

spoiled fish cannot be improved (or saved) by any form of processing, and that

includes salting. To salt effectively, fish must be prepared so that water removal and

salt uptake can take place quickly and easily. The thickness of flesh of the fish must

not be more than 25 to 30 mm (about 1 inch). Small, whole fish need only be gilled

and gutted if they are thinner than 1 inch. Medium-sized fish should be split through

the back, then gilled and gutted while large fish can either be filleted, with the skin

left on or split and the flesh scored deeply at 25mm (1 inch) intervals. On the other

hand, very large fish must be filleted and the flesh cut into 25 mm (1 inch) strips. It is

best to scale the fish, because the removal of water and penetration of salt will be

easier. If the fish is large, it is best to cut off the head, and gut and clean the fish

before soaking it in the brine. Large fish must be cut open, and it is preferable to take

out the backbone. Fish which are covered in a heavy coating of scales must be scaled.

In places where the flesh is thick, slashes must be made so that the salted brine can

penetrate the flesh. Very large fish should be cut into thin fillets.(Tuara,1997)

III. METHODOLOGY

1. Raw material

Fresh sardines Sardinella lemuru (13- 15cm ) and Mackerel tuna Euthynnus affinis

(10- 12 inches) to be bought from Miag-ao, Iloilo Fish Market are to be used. Three

of each species will be used during every pre-treatment and drying methods as
experimental and one independent. Commercially sold dried sardine and mackerel

will also be bought for comparison during the physico-chemical composition analysis

(aw, moisture content). If the fishes are not used right away, it will be stored in a

freezer with temperature of -2 degrees Celsius to maintain freshness.

2. Preparation of raw material.

Sardines Sardinella lemuro and Mackerel tuna Euphynnus affinis will be dried

split. Both fishes will be thoroughly washed and eviscerated before pretreatment

methods. The fishes will be weighed and measured before the pretreatment

process. Initial moisture content will be measured and recorded before the

pretreatment.

Drying Method Sun dry Torry kiln

Brining process 3 3

Brining process 3 3

Brining process 3 3

No treatment 1 1

3. Pretreatment/ Brining Process

Brining process will be similar to both fish species. Salt concentrations are

based on the studies that state the ideal salt concentration as well as brining

duration and temperature for the fish species. The salt fish will undergo light
 curing process which is ideal as suggested by past studies (Beatty et.al, 1957, Luis

et. al, 1987 and Espejo- Hermes et al.,1980). After pretreatment, the samples will

be weighed again and recorded.

Brining process 1 Experimental animal will be 20% brine

solution for 8 hours at 17 degrees Celsius

(Beatty et.al, 1957)

Brining process 2 Experimental animal will be brined with

30% brine solution for 8 hours at 17

degrees Celsius. It will then be washed

with 1.0% sorbistat for 10 minutes after

brining

Brining process 3 Experimental animal will be soaked in

brine 30 % and 44 grams baking

soda/litre for 8 hours or overnight) at 17

degrees celcius.

4. Drying process

a. Sun drying

After the pretreatment method is finished, the fishes will be placed in racks and

dried in a slanting position. Surrounding temperature and relative humidity will be

monitored every 30 minutes in the process. The drying period will last for 2 to 3
 days (depending on weather conditions). All data will be recorded during the

process.

b. Torry kiln

After the pre treatment method is finished, the fish sample will be placed in

racks ready to be dried in kiln. The temperature will be set to 35 dgrees

celcius with relative humidity maintained at 50% and dried for 18 – 24 hours.

5. Physic chemical composition analysis

Physico chemical composition will be measured to both the commercially

bought dried products and the experimental products. The results will then be

compared and tabulated.

a. Moisture content – since moisture content is measured before the start of the

drying, the same procedure will be done after the drying method. Moisture

content will be determined using the following according to Trautmann and

Richard, 1996:

a) Weigh a small container.

b) Weigh 10 g of the material into the container.

c) Dry the sample for 24 hours in a 105-110 degree C oven.

d) Reweigh the sample, subtract the weight of the container, and determine the

moisture content using the following equation:

Mn = ((Ww-Wd)/Ww) x 100

in which:
 Mn = moisture content (%) of material n

WW = wet weight of the sample, and

Wd = weight of the sample after drying.

b. Measurement of aw – if a water activity meter is not available, aw will be

calculated by using the following formula:

aw = [moisture content (wet basis)]x molecular wt. of H20]

(moisture content x molecular wt. of H2O) +(salt content x moleculat wt
of NaCl)
 Salt content will be analyzed using Mohr method titration

IV. Data and Statistical analysis

All data collected will be tabulated and compared. Results on the Physico-

chemical analysis between commercial and experimental products as well as the

sensory evaluation will be analyzed using one-way ANOVA and IBM SPSS Statistics

23.
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 TIMELINE FOR EXPERIMENT

DAY ACTIVITY
1  Procuring sample(ensure proper storage
during process)
 Cleaning sample(washing,
evisceration,cutting weighing.etc.)
 Preparation of pretreatment method
(brine)
 Start of pre treatment
2  Start of drying 8:30am to 3pm for sun
dried
 Set up torry kiln and start of drying
 Measurement of temp and relative
humidity during process
3  Continue drying for sun
dried(monitoring)
 Finish drying for torry kiln (24 hrs)
 Start 30hysic ochemical analysis
(moisture content) for dried torry kiln
4  Continue drying for sun dried
 Continue physicochemical analysis for
torry kiln dried if not finished

5  Finish drying for sun dried

 Start physic chemical analysis
 Physic chemical analysis of
commercial dried product (same age as
samples)
6 and so on  Continue analysis if not finished