Advanced Techniques in Biology & Medicine
Open Access

Abstract

Effects of Cooking Methods on Physicochemical and Microbiological Characteristics of Zebra Blenny (Salaria basilisca) Fillets

Naourez Ktari, Imen Trabelsi, Riadh Ben Salah, Rabab Ben Slama, Moncef Nasri and Nabil Souissi

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of two appropriate household cooking methods, steam and microwave-cooking, on proximate chemical composition, energetic values, fatty acids profiles, texture profile analysis and bacteriological characteristics of zebra blenny (Salaria basilisca) fillets from Tunisian coasts. The nutritional values of the fish fillets were improved after the two cooking methods. Fatty acid profiles of zebra blenny fillets showed that Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) contents are higher than those of Saturated Fatty Acids (SFA). They showed also differences between cooking methods. All textural attributes of zebra blenny fillets were influenced by cooking process. Microbiological changes [Total viable counts (TVC), Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB), Enterobacteriaceae, Listeria monocytogenes as well as fungi] were monitored as a function of treatment and storage time. On day 5 of storage under refrigeration the number of micro-organisms is always minimal for samples heat treated comparing with those raw.