Total volatile basic nitrogen and other physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics as related to ripening of salted anchovies

In canned anchovies the moisture content after salting decreased from 75.5% to 54%. The loss was accompanied by an increase in salt and ash contents. Free fatty acid (FFA) contents increased gradually throughout ripening. The FFA content variability was too wide to consider it as an index to monitor ripening. Although peroxide and TEA values provide an indication of onset of lipid oxidation, alternative methods are recommended based on tertiary compounds of lipid oxidation, Total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) increased linearly in fish muscle and brine during ripening. TVB-N determination in the brine could be a feasible monitoring method for degree of ripening.