Salting Fish Preservation Methods PDF

Salting is the process of preserving fish with dry edible salt. Salt consumes most water from food and makes it impossible for microorganisms to survive. Salt slows the activity of bacteria or even inactivates them by lowering the water activity. In Kench salting, the fish are piled up with dry cry...

Salting is the process of preserving fish with dry edible salt. Salt consumes most water from food and makes it impossible for microorganisms to survive. Salt slows the activity of bacteria or even inactivates them by lowering the water activity. In Kench salting, the fish are piled up with dry crystalline salt, and the brine that forms as the salt absorbs water from the fish is allowed to drain away. This method is especially popular with large, lean fish. Kench salting can be done in shallow concrete tanks with drains, or on raised platforms or racks about 1 mm in size and 8-10 cm off the ground. 1\. Two (2) or three (3) rows of prepared fish are laid flesh side up over a bed of salt, beginning in the center of the rack. 2\. The salt is then sprinkled or rubbed all over the fish, with more salt applied to the thicker parts than to the thinner parts. 3\. Scores should be filled with salt whenever they are made. A pile of fish is built by sprinkling each layer of fish with salt before covering it with the next layer, moving outwards from the center. 4\. To ensure proper drainage, the pile\'s center should be about 10 cm higher than the outside edges and should not be higher than 2 m. Making a pile should be done with care to ensure even salting of the fish and good product quality. The brine should not be allowed to accumulate in certain areas because it will result in an uneven cure and may discolor the fish. To prevent contamination, sprinkle the Kench pile\'s edges with salt regularly. The benefit of kench salting is that the fluids are removed, leaving the flesh relatively dry. However, it has several drawbacks: oily fish become rancid due to air exposure, insects and rodents have easy access to the fish, mold and bacterial attacks can occur, and salting is not always even. **SPOILAGE IN SALTED FISH** - "Red or Pink" - This happens in salting during storage in warm weather, when the surface of the fish becomes covered with red slime. It is caused by salt-derived halophilic rods and cocci; Halobacterium *salinaria, Sarcina morrhuae, S. littoralis,* and *Micrococcus resens*. **Prevention**: Fish storage at a low-temperature mold - *Molds* grow at 75% or higher relative humidity. *Dun* is a mold that grows in heavily salted fish, making it appear as if it has been sprinkled with ground black pepper. **Preservation** includes low-temperature storage and the use of high-quality salt.