CHANGES IN PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND SHELF LIFE ABILITY OF KUTUM (RUTILUS FRISII KUTUM) SLICES DURING PACKAGING AND STORAGE IN ICE

Under normal refrigerated storage conditions, the shelf life of fish products is limited by enzymatic and microbiological spoilage, so in this study applied methods like vacuum packaging with a cryoprotectant agent. Results of fresh Rutilus frisii kutum slices packed in vacuum with a cryoprotectant agent (sodium tripolyphosphate) and under ice storage conditions showed higher water holding capacity and a reduction of sulfhydryl groups' oxidation. Thiobarbituric acid, total volatile base-nitrogen contents and psychrophilic bacterial count in samples treated with sodium tripolyphosphate and under ice storage conditions decreased during ice storage (P < 0.05). The pattern of gel electrophoresis did not show considerable difference between all treatments with increase in storage time. In total, the final results based on sensory evaluation and bacteria counts concluded that the shelf life of fresh kutum slices packed using vacuum packaging and sodium tripolyphosphate was longer than the shelf life of fresh kutum slices packed using only with a cryoprotectant agent.