Nutrition and quality status of dry-salted Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) in the retail market of Bangladesh

Abstract

Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) is the national fish and geographical indication (GI) product of Bangladesh. Salting is the most suitable and oldest method of Hilsa preservation in Bangladesh. The quality of the traditionally salted dried fish in retail markets of Bangladesh is doubtful. This study aimed to assess the organoleptic, nutritional, biochemical, and safety attributes of dry-salted Hilsa. Organoleptic characteristics, nutritional (proximate composition, salt content), biochemical (pH, total volatile basenitrogen (TBV-N), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)), and safety attributes (total plate count, presence of coliform bacteria, Salmonella-Shigella, Staphylococcus, enteropathogenic Vibrio, and heavy metals: Hg, Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, Cu, Zn) of dry-salted Hilsa was analyzed by standard methods. The product was organoleptically acceptable (defect point score: 2.65). Moisture (48.16%), protein (29.95%), lipid (4.36%), ash (17.53%), and salt (17.90%) content showed that the product was highly nutritious for human consumption. The pH, TVB-N, and TBARS values were 6.21, 83.25 mg N/100 g, and 4.18 mg MDA/Kg, respectively. Total plate count, coliform, Staphylococcus bacteria were 7.87×104 , 6.96×103 , and 2.70×103 CFU/g, respectively, indicating that the microbiological quality of the product was not satisfactory. However, Salmonella-Shigella and Enteropathogenic Vibrio were not found in the samples. Amounts of Hg, Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, Cu, and Zn were 0.00005, 0.00004, 0.00112, 0.00102, 0.00134, 0.00167, and 0.00045 µg/g, respectively; which were within safety limit for human consumption. To improve the quality of dry-salted Hilsa, processors, sellers, and other stakeholders should be trained up properly.