Quality and Shelf Life Assessment of Puffer Fish (Lagocephalus guentheri) Fillets during Chilled Storage

The aim of the study was to quantify the shelf life and quality characteristics of puffer fish, Lagocephalus guentheri, fillets on chilled storage at 2 +/- 1 degrees C. The puffer fish muscle contains 16.14% protein, 80.76% moisture, 0.99% ash, and 0.17% fat. The mouse bioassay proved the absence of tetradotoxin in muscle, liver, skin, and gonads of the fish. The polyunsaturated fatty acid to saturated fatty acid (P/S) ratio of puffer fish was found to be 1.3, with n-3 to n-6 ratio of 3.27. The puffer fish had hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio (H/H) value of 2.68, artherogenicity index of 0.43, and thrombogenicity index of 0.29. Beheaded and deskinned fishes were filleted and were studied for 10 days of chilled storage. The physical, chemical, sensory, and microbiological parameters showed significant (p < 0.05) changes during the entire storage period. While the hydrolytic rancidity was significantly correlated to springiness, gumminess, and chewiness of fillets, the peroxide value (PV) correlated with the color attributes and pH. The hardness of the samples decreased significantly and was evident in both sensory and instrumental analysis. With storage time, the yellowness of the fillets increased steadily. The results of this study can help in improving processing, preservation, and marketing aspects and enhance the utility of puffer fish.