Abstract
Fish quality is important in the food industry. Studies on the nutritional, microbial and minerals in Indian mackerel fish are limited. Therefore, this study was carried out to assess the quality and production of fish products (balls and fingers). Additionally, the effect of frozen storage for six months on the microbial, nutritional and sensory evaluation of fish balls and fingers was studied. The obtained results showed that the estimated minerals (zinc, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead and mercury) contents in Indian mackerel muscles were lower than the maximum permissible limits for human consumption. The levels of total bacterial counts and total yeast counts in Indian mackerel purchased from three different stores varied. After 6 months of storage, the microbial content decreased in Indian mackerel fish balls and fingers to less than 2.0×102 CFU/g, which was due to the effect of freezing on the growth and activity of microorganisms, while the carbohydrate, fat and energy contents increased, and the ash, protein and moisture contents decreased; however, Indian mackerel fish fingers had elevated ash, carbohydrate, fat, protein and energy contents and a reduced moisture content after freezing. Sensory evaluation of Indian mackerel balls and fingers at the start and end of the storage period (6 months) revealed good scores for appearance, odor, texture, taste and acceptability. These results provide insights into the benefits of good-quality Indian mackerel fish in the fish product industry and their availability after storage for six months.