Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Aquatic Sciences and Engineering, cilt.40, sa.2, ss.107-115, 2025 (ESCI, Scopus, TRDizin)
The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbiological, biochemical and sensory properties of fermented rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) using Lactobacillus sakei ATCC® 15521™ (L), Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC® 9080™ (S) and their combination (M) as starter cultures and without starter culture as spontaneous fermentation (F). Rainbow trout slices (94% w/w) were mixed with curing ingredients—sucrose (2% w/w), salt (3% w/w), garlic powder (0.3% w/w), ginger powder (0.3% w/w), and sweet red pepper powder (0.3% w/w)—and kept at 4 °C for 2 days. After the cured trout were dried at 60 °C for 3 hours, starter cultures were evenly injected into the trout slices at a rate of 1% (1 mL starter culture: 100 g cured fish). The fermentation process was conducted at 24 °C for 14 days. During fermentation of the trout, the recommended 6 log CFU/g value for LAB, which is beneficial for gastrointestinal health, was reached on different days depending on the group: on day 12 in the F group (6.07 ± 0.25 log cfu/g), on day 4 in the S group (6.25 ± 0.11 log cfu/g), and on day 2 in the M group (6.52 ± 0.09 log cfu/g). Additionally, the highest value in the L group was 7.21±0.11 log cfu/g on day 2, indicating rapid fermentation. Enterobacteriaceae counts remained low across all groups, with values dropping to <1 log cfu/g by the end of fermentation. The results showed that the pH of fresh fish, initially 6.70, decreased significantly to 4.01, 4.18, and 4.09 in L, S, and M groups, respectively, by the end of fermentation. Nutritional analysis revealed higher protein content and reduced lipid oxidation levels in the M group, which also exhibited the lowest levels of total volatile basic nitrogen and thiobarbituric acid, indicating improved freshness and oxidative stability. Sensory evaluation identified the M group as the most preferred due to its balanced acidity, texture, and flavor. These findings suggest the potential of combining L. sakei and S. cerevisiae to produce high-quality fermented trout with enhanced safety, nutritional value, and consumer acceptance. This study represents the first effort to produce the fermentation process specifically for rainbow trout, marking a contribution to the field of fermented fish production.