Sodium lactate and ascorbic acid as preservative for fish fillets

ABSTRACT

Many undesirable changes can occur in the fish fillet during storage in retail market, due to microbial growth and fish spoilage, affording to evident economic loss. The effects of L-ascorbic acid [L-AA] and sodium lactate [SL], either alone or in combination, on the microbiological and chemical quality of Boulti fillet during storage at 0°C, were investigated. The results showed that addition of L-AA [0.05%] and SL [2.0%] alone or in combination [L-AA [0.05g] in SL 2.0%] significantly delayed the proliferation of aerobic plate counts, psychrotrophic counts and Pseudomonas bacteria extending, the product shelf life up to l2days, versus 6 days for control during the storage, the pH increase slowed down when the fish samples subjected to the treatment with preservative agents. The effect of lowering the pH was particularly pronounced when a combination of L-AA and SL used. L-AA alone or in combination with SL can successfully reduce the microbial growth, extending the shelf life of fillet during storage at 0°C