The Date Pomace Fish Silage Fermentation
Tawfik M. Hassan *
Food Science and Technology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tripoli, Libya.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The feasibility of producing fish silage using L. plantarum as inoculum and dried date pomace as a carbohydrate source was investigated. Experiments were conducted to find the optimal fish to date pomace ratio that would give a successful fermentation, defined as pH decline to <4.5. Results showed that a successful fermentation was obtained in 1 : \(\frac14\) fish : date pomace ratio which represent 5% fermentable sugar. The addition of sorbic acid at level 0.15% w/w based on fish weight successfully inhibited mold growth observed in some trials during the fermentation. The results suggest that in order to achieve a successful fermentation it is highly recommended to run the fermentation in clean, sanitized, and firmly sealed container.
Keywords: Date pomace, fermentation, fish, mold, silage, sorbic acid