Formation of Biogenic Amines in Delayed Salt-Cured Whole and Gutted Indian Oil Sardines (Sardinella longiceps)

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe formation of biogenic amines in Indian oil sardines (Sardinella longiceps) collected from the Tuticorin coast of South India and treated with delayed salt-curing was investigated. Sardines were wet salt-cured in whole and gutted forms and examined in fresh and after 6, 9, 12, and 15 h delayed conditions at ambient temperature (32 ± 2°C) at four stages of salt-curing process for quality parameters and formation of biogenic amines. Moisture content decreased from 76% to 11.3% in salting followed by drying. Similarly, water activity reduced from 0.96 to 0.74 in salt-cured sardines. In contrast, total volatile base nitrogen content increased from 79 to 3,590 mg kg–1 in salt-cured sardines. Halophilic count of sardines was higher (8 log cfu g–1) after salting and decreased in drying stages. The 15 h delayed salt-cured whole sardines had higher histamine contents (1,568.27 mg kg–1), cadaverine (4,059.84 mg kg–1), putrescine (1,604.95 mg kg–1), and tyramine (862.94 mg kg–1) on the final day of drying. Whole sardines had higher biogenic amines and halophilic bacterial counts than the gutted sardines. The whole and gutted sardines salt-cured up to a delay of 6 and 12 h, respectively, at ambient temperature yielded the acceptable quality products with respect to biogenic amines.