Qualitative and quantitative changes of fried fish steaks and fish steak curry of catla (Catla catla) during frozen storage.
The shelf life of ready to eat fish curry packed with fried fish steaks and fish steak curry of Catla (Catla catla) during frozen storage at –20°C were studied in terms of sensory, bacteriological and biochemical changes. Based on sensory evaluation, frying time of 10 minutes at 160°C was optimum to get good quality fried fish steaks. The proximate composition of the fried fish steaks and fish steak curry showed marginal variation throughout the period of study. The chemical changes in fried fish steaks during frozen storage, TVB-N, NPN, PV and FFA were 26.8±0.04 mg/100 g, 50.76±0.12 mg/100 g, 12.40±0.20 meq O 2 /kg and 4.58±0.42 % oleic acid at 0 th day were changed to 30.5±0.85 mg/100 g, 56.8±0.87 mg/100 g, 56.2±0.71 meq O 2 / kg and 18.27±0.75 % oleic acid at 90 th day, respectively. But, the chemical values for fried fish steak curry during frozen storage, TVB-N, NPN, PV and FFA were 25.6±0.81 mg/100 g, 56.55±0.54 mg/100 g, 12.40±0.20 meq O 2 /kg and 3.91±0.36 % oleic acid at 0 th day were changed to 30.1±0.85 mg/100 g, 59.4±0.38 mg/100 g, 21.98±0.45 meq O 2 /kg and 6.81±0.21% oleic acid at 90 th day, respectively. Total bacterial counts were decreased over the period of storage in fish steaks and fish steak curry. Fish steak curry exhibited longer shelf life (86 days) when compared to the shorter shelf life (51 days) exhibited by fried fish steaks during frozen storage at –20°C.