Effect of medium molecular weight chitosan coating on quality of houndfish (Tylosurus crocodilus) during ice storage

This study assessed the applicability of medium molecular weight chitosan solution at different concentrations (0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2% w/v) in houndfish preservation. Furthermore, by comparing chitosan-coated fish and the uncoated ones (i.e., treated with distilled water [DW] and 1% acetic acid [AA] solution), the study determined the effectiveness of the chitosan coating on the preservation of on-skin houndfish during ice storage for 20 days. The quality of chitosan-coated houndfish was investigated by periodical analysis for microbiological (total viable count), chemical (pH, water holding capacity, total volatile basic nitrogen of refrigerated houndfish, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TCA-soluble peptide, and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis), physical parameters (hardness, and color), and sensory properties. According to the findings, the methods of using 1.5% and 2% chitosan solutions showed better preservation results than others. These methods were found to be the most effective coatings for maintaining the quality of houndfish compared to the treatments involving DW and 1% AA solution.