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 The effect of edible chitosan and chitosan-gelatin coating on the quality of fish finger from silver carp during refrigeration was assessed. Fish fingers were immersed separately in coating solutions of chitosan 1% and chitosan 1%-gelatin 4%, packed and stored in refrigerator (4±1˚C) for 30 days, then their chemical (TVB-N, PV, TBA) and microbiological characteristics (TVC and PTC) were analysed. Total volatile basic nitrogen value of coated sample with chitosan was lowest while there was no significant difference between the thiobarbituric acid value of coated treatments (p<0.05). Among the coated samples, chitosan coating effectively reduced  the total viable count (TVC) and psychrotrophic count (PTC). This reduction was 3.2 and 2.6 log₁₀ cfu/g for TVC and PTC at 12 day, respectively, in comparison with control. Thus it can be considered that fish fingers coated with chitosan coating solution was more effective than chitosan-gelatin coating and uncoated samples and increased the shelf life of fish fingers for 18 days.

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Three types of fish fingers prepared from common carp (Cyprinus carpio) meat (chopped fillet, minced, and surimi) were organoleptically compared. After the molding, glazing and coating, fish fingers were fried in oil at 180°C for 8 minutes. Organoleptic indicators in terms of texture, taste, smell, color and general acceptability were assessed by panelists. The fish finger from surimi in terms of organoleptic indicator was significantly different (p<0/05) from other samples. The results of general acceptability showed that the fish fingers from surimi had higher quality than other samples. Therefore, surimi is recommended in preparation of fish finger from common carp.

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The changes on proximate and fatty acids profile during surimi production and also during frying of fish fingers produced from mince and surimi of common carp were investigated. In surimi production process, moisture increased from 70.95% to 75.17% and instead crude protein and fat was reduced from 18.71% to 12.22% and 2.27% to 1.98%, respectively. After frying of fish finger produced from mince and surimi in sunflower oil, crude fat were increased from 2.27% to 5.58% and 1.98% to 4.01%, respectively. Crude protein and moisture was decreased during frying. Totally, sixteen fatty acids were identified of saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in fish fingers. Washing of fish mince reduced myristic acid content from 7.98% to 1.30%. During frying the content of oleic, linoleic and palmitic acid were increased in fish fingers and instead the other fatty acids percent was decreased after frying. PUFA/SFA ratio in fish finger produced from mince and surimi during frying was increased from 0.45 to 0.65 g/100 g fatty acid and 0.61 to 0.62 g/100 g fatty acid, respectively.

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  The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of edible gelatin coating on the quality characteristics and shelf life of fish finger of Hypophthalmichthys molitrix during refrigerated storage. Fish fingers were immersed in coating solutions of gelatin 4% and then dried, packed and stored in refrigerator (4˚C). Chemical (moisture, protein, fat, ash, pH, PV, TBA and TVB-N) and microbial parameters (TVC and PTC) were measured at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 21 days. According to the obtained results by increasing of storage time moisture and fat content decreased and pH value were significantly increased (P < 0.05). While there was no significant difference between the ash content of control and coated samples (P < 0.05). Peroxide value and thiobarbitoric acid of coated samples were lower than the control. The TVB-N value of control and coated samples were 27.80 and 27.46 mg N/100g of flesh fish in 12 days of storage that higher than acceptable value. The total viable count (TVC) and psychrotrophic count (PTC) of fish fingers were significantly increased (P < 0.05) during refrigerated storage. The results of this research indicate that the gelatin coating reduces the oxidation, but has no effect in reducing the value of microbial count.    

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Commercial utilization of black mouth croaker (Atrobucca nibe) is in progress in Iran. This study was carried out to assess the physicochemical and sensory evaluation of minced fish and surimi prepared from small size of A. nibe, which is not common for human consumption. The surimi proximate composition contains protein (14.77±0.506%), lipid (0.94±0.081%), ash (0.58±0.007%) contents and yield rate (36.56±0.732%) were significantly lower than the mince, while the moisture content was higher in the surimi (79.58±0.729%) as compared to the mince (78.49±0.687%) (P< 0.05). Total volatile bases and thiobarbituric acid values of black mouth croaker surimi were 4.76±0.594 mg N 100 g^-1, and 0.40±0.018 mg malondialdehyde kg^-1, which, respectively, were significantly lower than those found for the minced fish (P< 0.05). Minced fish delivered significantly lower water holding capacity and pH value than the surimi (P< 0.05). Higher whiteness index was obtained in the surimi (66.23±0.029%) compared to the mince (51.68±0.020%) (P< 0.05). Total lipids of surimi contained more polyunsaturated fatty acids (36.32±0.257 g 100 g^-1 total lipids) than other fatty acids of the minced fish (P< 0.05). Fish fingers prepared from the surimi obtained a higher mean score of all attributes (8.71±0.366) than the minced fish (7.47±0.326) (P< 0.05). It was concluded that this white-fleshed fish species was an appropriate raw material for surimi production. Further trials are needed to evaluate the surimi gel characteristics.

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In the most of the human society, the issue of shortage of time for preparing food and the advantages of aquatic protein has brought about an appropriate motivation for introducing different kinds of ready-to-eat and semi-ready-to-eat products such as finger foods and burgers etc. made out of different aquatics. This research aims to conduct sensory evaluation on the fish finger made out of the meat of barracuda (Sphyraena jello) and to compare the sensory indices (texture, odor, color, taste and total utility) under freezing conditions -18ċ for four months. Four treatments of fish fingers including (first treatment: mince, second treatment: Surimi , treatment 3: mince+ red meat, treatment 4: Surimi +red meat) were considered. The indices in the products at the times of zero (fresh sample), 1, 2, 3, 4 months were measured under freezing conditions.  The evaluations of texture description between the exiting treatments indicate that there is significant difference between Surimi bearing treatments &minced fish during the storage period (P ≤ 0.05). Meanwhile, Second Treatment  at the time Zero, production and end of storage period (120 days) acquire the highest score of the texture factor by 4.74 ± 0.42 and 3.41 ± 0.64 respectively. The highest score in the color treatment at the time Zero is allocated to Second Treatment with 4.44 ± 0.20. As for the color factor, there has been a significant difference between minced meat and Surimi Treatments during storage period (P ≤0.05).