Carps are having great potential for processing of carps for internal market as well as for export, the growth of the industry is not very appreciable The major reasons for this are the needed availability of raw material, the presence of inter-muscular bones and consumer perception of muddy flavour. Grass carp (Ctenopharygodon idella) was used for the study as a representative of carps. Skinned fillets were brined and drained under refrigerated condition were subjected to a particular period of smoking, viz., 1h, 2.5h and 5h at a temperature of 700C. Quality of smoked products were analysed by estimating moisture content, pH, thiamine content and pepsin digestibility. All these parameters showed a decreasing trend upon increase in smoking period. Sensory evaluation studies were conducted on curried product prepared out from smoked fish fillets. Scores for all the parameters were found higher for smoked samples compared to the unsmoked sample. Significant differences were not observed between smoking periods for any of the sensory evaluation parameter. Muddy flavour was found decreasing with an increase in smoking period. Based on the results smoking for a period of 2.5h at a temperature of 700C was selected for storage studies.
After smoking the fillets were fan dried, cut into 3 cm pieces, packed in polythene bags and chill stored at a temperature of -3±20C for 7 days. Biochemical indexes assayed were: pH, phenol, total volatile nitrogen (TVBN), TBA and total viable count (TVC). Increasing trend was observed in all the parameters except pH and phenol whereas significant differences were not observed in case of thiamine content and protein digestibility throughout the storage period. Therefore considering nutritional quality, sensory quality and freshness grass carp fillets smoked at temperature of 700C could be could be stored for 6 days.