Sensorische Bewertung, Mikrobiologie und chemische Kenngrößen von eisgelagertem Wittling (Merlangius merlangus)

During the 160th research cruise of the FRV "Walther Herwig III" in the North Sea in May 1995 an ice-storage experiment with whiting was performed. Gutted whiting with and without spleen was stored in melting water-ice. Freshness and/or spoilage were monitored by measuring sensory, chemical, physical and microbiological indicators. It was found that besides the classical sensory assessment on the cooked sample and the EU-quality grading scheme, the microbiological counts were of major importance for the determination of the degree of freshness or spoilage. The cfu (colony forming units) of spoilage bacteria on the skin correlated significantly with time in ice. A very good correlation was also found for the cfu of spoilage bacteria with the sensory assessed odour of the cooked fillet sample. The measurement of the fish tissue with the Intellectron Fischtester VI and the determination of the creatine content in fillet are both suitable freshness and spoilage indicators. The pH-value measured in different body compartments and in musele homogenate and the ammonia content are only of limited value for freshness determination. Removal of kidney did not influence the shelf life.

Nitrogen fixing bacteria, Azotobacter sp. in aquatic sediment

Non-symbiotic, free living, nitrogen fixing bacteria, Azotobacter sp. was estimated in sediments of estuarine, marine, backwater and mangrove environments of Portonovo. Number of colony forming units (CFU) of Azotobacter sp. was less (5 to 27 cells/g of dry sediment). CFU of total heterotrophic bacteria (THB), actinomycetes and fungi were between 4.1x10 super(6) and 4.5x10 super (7), 0.8x10 super(5) and 4.9x10 super(5), 1.1x10 super(5) and 3.8x10 super(5)/g respectively. Mangrove sediments contained more CFU of the above microbial groups.