Reshwater fish salting process intensification method

The purpose of the study is to substantiate and optimize salting regimes for freshwater fish using vacuum and excess pressure in a special salting device in order to reduce the duration of the process and improve the consumer properties of the finished product. Tasks: selection of factors, the most significant and significant in terms of the degree of their influence on the optimization parameters; development of a matrix for planning an experiment by the Box-Behnken method; optimization of salting regimes for freshwater fish in salting devices using vacuum and overpressure. Research was carried out on an experimental model of a fish salting device manufactured by the FBSEI HE Kerch State Marine Technological University. The planning and analysis of the results of the experiments was carried out using the Statistica 10 software package. The determination of the percentage of sodium chloride, active acidity (pH) and the limiting tension of muscle tissue was determined by standard and generally accepted methods. Salting was carried out at an optimum temperature for the action of enzymes from 25 to 30 °C. The ratio of the salting-modifying solution and fish was taken in accordance with the regulatory documents - 2:1. When fish raw materials are under vacuum, muscle tissue is quickly saturated with substances in the salting solution. The pressure increases their depth of penetration and therefore the speed of the processing process. Maintaining a constant temperature of the solution ensures uniform salting out. Using the mathematical planning of the experiment by the Box-Behnken method, the optimal salting regimes for fish raw materials were established: salting duration - 25-30 minutes, at a positive (excess) pressure of 1.5-1.6 bar and a negative (vacuum) pressure of 0.4-0, 6 bar with equal periods of alternation of their impact. Such processing makes it possible to obtain salted fish with a percentage of salt in muscle tissue of 4.5-4.8 %, active acidity (pH) of 1.4-1.6 and a maximum shear stress of 550-600 Pa.