IMPACT OF SUPERCHILLING ON QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF RANI FISH STORED IN INDIGENOUSLY DEVELOPED FISH VENDING AND DISPLAY UNIT POWERED BY SOLAR ENERGY

Fish is more vulnerable to deterioration than chicken and red meat hence better and more advanced preservation technology is needed. Temperature is a major factor determining the shelf life and quality of fish. Superchilling has been found promising for extension of shelf life, depending on water content and soluble substances of fish. In the present study the quality changes of superchilled Rani fish were assessed on the basis of biochemical, microbiological and sensory attributes. The temperature of unit was maintained at -1 to -3°C, provided with display facility and was powered by the solar energy. The collected samples were washed in chilled water, stored in the unit and the evaluation was done on every alternate day. The results revealed that all the biochemical quality indices studied decreased significantly (p<0.05) and were within the acceptable range, based on the sensory and microbiological analysis, the shelf life of superchilled Rani fish was found to be 14 days.