Improved fish burger was developed from pangus fish (Pangasius sutchi) by using different kinds of food additives (25% mashed potato, 2% NaCl, 2% oil, 2% spices such as onion, ginger, garlic, green chili, hot spices and 0.6% sugar). Proximate composition and sensory, chemical and microbiological changes of pangus fish burger were determined to evaluate the shelf life and storage stability kept at room (28ºC) and refrigeration (5ºC) temperature. It was observed that, the moisture, pH and protein contents in pangus burger were decreased than that of fish mince. On the other hand, lipid and ash contents were higher. Among the variable levels of mashed potato level, 25% mashed potato level showed the best sensory performance and was recommended for the commercial production. At room temperature, the sensory attributes deceased significantly (P<0.05) throughout the storage period. On the other hand, at refrigerated temperature (5°C) the product was more stable. The TVB-N value increased progressively throughout the storage period (P<0.05) at both room (28°C) and refrigerated (5°C) temperature. The microbial load was also increased significantly (P<0.05) at both temperatures but the growth pattern was slower at refrigeration temperature. After considering all the results, it was concluded that, the shelf life of pangus fish burger was very short, in fact not more than 24 hours at 28ºC. On the other hand at 5ºC pangus fish burger may remain in good condition up to 72 hours.

Fish ball was prepared from the unwashed mince blend of 5 low-cost marine fishes (LMF) viz., red jewfish (Johnius argentatus), sea cat fish (Tachysurus thalassinus), jeweled shad (Ilisha filigera) horse mackeral (Megalaspis cordyla) and skipjack tuna (Sarda orientalis) of the Bay of Bengal. Six different blends composition from 5 individual minces of Low-cost Marine Fish (LMF) were prepared by blending 15 to 30% of the individuals minces. Fish ball was prepared from such mince blends by improving the textural strength of the products through different cooking process, ingredients and spices. Textural quality was determined in terms of softness/firmness (S/F) and chewiness/ rubburiness (C/R). Gel forming ability of the individual minces varied in great extent due to their compositional differences. Among the six blends tested, blend C with higher proportion of mince had come from red jewfish, sea cat fish and horse mackerel showed highest gel strength. In mince blend C, composition of red jewfish, sea cat fish, horse mackerel, jeweled shad and skipjack tuna were 30, 20, 20, 15 and 15%, respectively. Unwashed and washed individual minces and the mince blend C were incubated at different temperature regime from 35° to 55° and then cooked at 90° or 100°C. Among the different heating regimes, unwashed mince blend C showed the highest gel strength at 50°C for 1 hr incubation temperature. Further cooking of the incubated gel at 100°C optimally increased the gelling ability. The quality attributes of fish ball prepared under different cooking process (two-step heating, boiling, broiling and autoclaving) were analyzed. In two-step cooking, fish ball heated at 50°C for 30 minutes and further cooked at 100°C for 30 minute obtained a very good textured and nice mouth-felt fish ball. Texture and flavor of ball was affected by washing of mince but sensory qualities were unaffected.

Bangladesh is a fish producing country from the ancient history due to its deltaic nature agro-ecologically. Accordingly fish marketing systems developed in traditional systems sincelong. This study was conducted in two retail fish markets located in Rajbari and Barisal Sadar Upazila in the south central region of Bangladesh focusing public health and hygiene condition of retailers. The questionnaire interview with 30 retailers and participatory rural appraisal (PRA) tools were used to get the information from the retailers and other value chain stakeholders. About 13% of the retailers had no education, however 60% had primary level and 27% had secondary level of education. Although many of them were literate, their knowledge and practice about public health, hygiene and sanitation was found to be very poor. Due to lack of knowledge on public health, they were found to be infected by various contagious diseases such as common cold (cough, coryza etc.), diarrhoea, lesion (lesion on hands, between fingers, on the tip of the fingers, between toes, on the nail and tip of the toes etc.) and skin disease. About 57% of them were affected with lesion on hands, while 33, 23, 7, 13 and 10% were affected with lesion between fingers, between toes, on the tip fingers, on the nail and tip of toes and skin disease on legs, respectively.Fish markets operated by them were ill-managed, unhygienic and unscientific. So, the hygiene and sanitation system of retail fish markets were very poor and unhealthy. Market should have adequate water supply, toilets and other sanitation facilities. Due to poor infrastructural facilities in harvest and post-harvest, landing, handling, preservation, distribution, marketing and quality assurance, the fish retailers suffered from serious health problems. Good personal hygiene management is therefore essential for the safe handling and preparation of fish and fisheries products. To ensure this, quick and proper action should be needed by the government, particularly by the local government and rural development (LGRD) authorities.

Heat-induced gel formation is related to the polymerisation and degradation of MHC and the microstructure of the gel during preheating. Gelation occurred during setting even under the inhibitory condition, and the formation of covalent bonding by transglutaminase is not essential to the formation of a three-dimensional network during setting but is essential to the gel strength enhancement effect of setting by subsequent heating at 80 °C.

Fish pickle was developed from Thai pangus (Pangasianodon  hypophthalamus) fish muscle by using different types of food additives. Mustard oil and soybean oil were used for preparing fish pickle. Dorsal muscle and whole fish muscle without bone were used as raw material for preparing fish pickle. Changes in nutritional composition, pH, bacteriological and sensory attributes were determined at room temperature (30–35°C) according to standard procedures. At room temperature (30-35°C) fish pickle prepared from dorsal muscle and whole fish muscle using both mustard oil and soybean oil remained in acceptable condition until 12/13 days. Bad smell produced in the pickle after 15th day of storage. Moisture, protein, lipid and pH value decreased but ash content increased with the progress of storage period. In case of soybean oil used pickle deterioration was faster than the pickles prepared using mustard oil. Bacterial load was higher in soybean oil pickle and the pickle prepared from whole fish muscle. J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 16(3): 545–552, December 2018