European Journal of Nutrition & Food Safety

Small indigenous fish species (SIS) are highly popular among people in Bangladesh, as numerous closed and open water bodies support abundant production of these exceptionally palatable fish. Value-added, ready-to-heat fish products have gained increasing popularity globally in recent years because of their convenience and ease of consumption. The present study was conducted to determine the shelf life of a coated fish product prepared from blue panchax (Aplocheilus panchax) during frozen storage. The study was conducted from July 2023 to June 2024 at the Laboratory of Fishing and Post-Harvest Technology, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka. Major shelf-life indices, including pH, total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), peroxide value (PV), and total plate count (TPC), were assessed at 30-day intervals for a maximum period of 120 days. After 120 days of frozen storage, the pH of the coated fish product increased slightly from 6.15 ± 0.72 to 6.46 ± 1.17. TVB-N values increased from 8.71 ± 1.33 to 34.70 ± 3.83 mg/100 g, whereas peroxide values increased from 3.44 ± 0.72 to 11.35 ± 2.11 meq kg⁻¹. During the study period, the total plate count of the coated fish product showed a downward trend, with values of 3.60 ± 0.62, 2.90 ± 0.36, 2.60 ± 0.39, 2.30 ± 0.28, and 2.20 ± 0.44 log CFU g⁻¹ after 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days of frozen storage, respectively. The quality of the value-added product remained within acceptable limits for up to 90 days of storage. This study provides critical insights into the storage life of a previously developed value-added product prepared from a small indigenous fish species, Aplocheilus panchax, and demonstrates value addition as an effective approach for utilising the nutritional potential of underutilised fish species.