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Organoleptic and Chemical Changes during

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DOI: 10.1111/jfpp.12065

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 Journal of Food Processing and Preservation ISSN 1745-4549

ORGANOLEPTIC AND CHEMICAL CHANGES DURING

STORAGE OF SEA BASS MARINADES (DICENTRARCHUS
LABRAX L., 1758)
GÜLDEREN KURT KAYA1,3 and ÖZDEN BAŞTÜRK2
1
Fisheries Faculty, Department of Fish Processing Technology, Tunceli University, Tunceli 62100, Turkey
2
Fisheries Faculty, Department of Basic Science, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey

3
Corresponding author. ABSTRACT
TEL: (90)-428-2131794;
FAX: (90)-428-2131861; Chemical and organoleptic changes in sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) preserved at
EMAIL: gkurtkaya@tunceli.edu.tr 4C for 200 days have been investigated in this study. To prepare the fish fillets for
study, they were put, at a ratio of 1:1.5 (fish : marinade brine), for marination into
Received for Publication February 5, 2012
the brine containing 11% salt and 3.5% acetic acid. After the maturation process,
Accepted for Publication November 21, 2012
samples were divided into two groups and packed in sealed plastic containers as
doi:10.1111/jfpp.12065 plain and sauced and preserved for 200 days.
At both groups packed as plain and sauced, TVB-N, TBA, TMA-N and peroxide
number values were at acceptable limits during the storage of 200 days. It can be
determined that both of the groups were approved in organoleptic terms;
however, the sea bass marinades packed as plain were better approved.
Our study shows that sea bass marinades packed as plain and sauced can be
stored for 200 days without any quality problems.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
As the processed products are easy to store and bring a large margin of profit and
always ready for the market, developing new products will contribute greatly to
the aquaculture processing sector. Marinade processing technology is one of the
cheapest technologies in aquaculture products processing and preservation
methods, and it is very important in that it enriches the taste of fish, adds flavor
and provides a longer shelf life. In the Mediterranean countries, sea bass ranks first
in saltwater aquaculture and is among the most important aquaculture products.
However; making use of the fish, especially which could not be sold or are under-
sold in the yield period, with the help of alternative processing methods can con-
tribute to producers, the fisheries processing sector and the national economy. It
was determined that sea bass marinades packed as plain and sauced can be stored
for 200 days and can still retain their quality.

and aroma to the product by having a proteolytic and

INTRODUCTION
Marination is a technology that enhances the endurance of
fresh, frozen and dry salted fish or fish parts by means of
maturation, using an acetic acid and salt mixture without
heat effects. The end product of marination is called mari-
nade. The marinated products can be flavored with spices,
sauce, cream, mayonnaise and oil (Varlik et al. 2004).
The marination stops bacterial enzyme activity under the
effect of acetic acid and salt. Thus, the product will have a
longer shelf life. In addition, acetic acid and salt give flavor
lipolytic effect on the fish (Mclay 1972; Schenderyuk and
Byokowsky 1990).
Marinades are obtained by using three methods: cold,
cooked and fried. A cold marinade is a marination prepared
without applying a heat process. Fresh, frozen and salted
fish can be used with this method. Generally, there are two
stages in preparing cold marinades. The aim of the first
stage, which is also called the conditioning stage, is to soften
the muscles of the fillet fish and enable the development of
characteristic taste (Connell 1980). The second stage is

1072 Journal of Food Processing and Preservation 38 (2014) 1072–1079 © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
G.K. KAYA and Ö. BAŞTÜRK
taking the fish out of the brine, draining them and then
putting into boxes quickly. In the packing stage, they are
packed in brine, oil or sauce (Gökoğlu 2002).
The quality of the marinade depends on the freshness,
composition and maturity level of the fish, the quantity of
water, oil and the contents of the conditioning solution, the
conditioning process, the hygiene conditions of the facili-
ties, and especially the season and place of capture. Further-
more, additives such as spice, sauce, cream, oil, mayonnaise,
parsley and dill have essential effects on quality (Gülyavuz
and Ünlüsayın 1999).
As the processed products are easy to store and bring a
large margin of profit, and are always ready for the market,
developing new products will contribute greatly to the
aquaculture processing sector. The marinade processing
technology is one of the cheapest technologies in the pro-
cessing and preservation methods of aquaculture products;
and it contributes to the enrichment of the taste of the fish,
adds flavor and provides a longer shelf life.
Sea bass is one of the most important species of Turkish
aquaculture. It is generally consumed as fresh or chilled. In
the yield period, this fish is occasionally undersold because
of not finding buyers at the market price. The aim of the
study was to investigate the marination suitability of sea
bass and develop a product that may contribute to the
sector.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Raw Material
See bass purchased from aquaculture of Mersin, Turkey in
July 2007 was used. Total of 30 kg fish were obtained. Each
of the sea bass was 200–300 kg in weight. The fish were
carried in ice in Styrofoam boxes (Strobuzkap, Onay
Machine Co. Inc., Istanbul, Turkey). After the fish were
transferred to the laboratory, the heads of the fish were cut;
their internal organs were removed and filleted by experts.
Marination Process
For the marination process, 3.5% of acetic acid (Merck
Group, Istanbul, Turkey) and 11% of salt (Safir Industrial
Salt, Safir, Ankara, Turkey) were used. The samples were
dipped in capped plastic boxes (Erbaşlar Plastic, Adana,
Turkey) of 10 L at a ratio of 1:1.5 (fish : brine) for matura-
tion at +4C. Four kilograms of fish was put into each box,
and the boxes were sealed. After a period of 2 days, the
boxes were opened, and it was seen that the fish had
matured.
The fish that have completed marination period were
skinned and put again into the solution. This process was
continued in 30 min. At this stage, the plastic boxes contain-
Journal of Food Processing and Preservation 38 (2014) 1072–1079 © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ORGANOLEPTIC, CHEMICAL CHANGES OF MARINE SEA BASS
ing the samples were separated into two groups; 70 g
chopped garlic and 10 g chopped dill were added to the
brine solution of the first group. Nothing was added to the
solution of the second group. After 24 h, the fish were taken
out of the solutions and drained. The first group was packed
in sauce, and the second was packed in oil. The boxes (Bora,
Istanbul, Turkey) used for the packing were 300-mL volu-
minous, plastic, airtight and watertight. For the group
packed in oil, 210 g of fish and 105 mL of sunflower seed oil
were put into each packet. For the group packed in sauce,
210 g of fish, 100 mL of sunflower seed oil, 4 g of tomato
sauce, 3 g of garlic and a leaf of dill were put into each
packet. All the packets were stored at +4C. The marinades
were examined in terms of chemical composition (crude
protein, lipids, dry materials and crude ash), chemical
quality changes (thiobarbituric acid, total volatile basic
nitrogen, trimethylamine-nitrogen and peroxide number)
and the organoleptic angle (appearance, texture, flavor) on
day 0 (accepted as the beginning of the post-maturation
period); and on days 15, 30 and 50; and on a monthly basis
from day 50 onward up until day 200.
Analysis
The crude protein was analysed according to the Kjeldahl
method (James 1995). The crude fat analyses were done
according to Bligh and Dyer (1959). The moisture was
analysed according to Ludorff and Meyer (1973). The crude
ashanalysis were done according to Mattissek et al. (1988).
The TBA number analyses were done according to Tarladgis
et al. (1960). The total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N)
values were based on Antonacopoulos and Vyncke (1989).
The trimethylamine-nitrogen analyses were done according
to Varlık et al. (2007) and peroxide number (POS) analyses
were done according to the AOAS (1994) method.
For the sensory evaluation, Schormuller’s (1968) organo-
leptic evaluation diagram, which was modified by Varlik
et al. (1993), was used. The organoleptic evaluation was
done by five experienced panelists in terms of appearance,
smell and taste criteria by giving points between 1 and 9.
The score of 1.0–3.9 denoted as spoiled, the score of 4.0–6.9
indicated “good” quality, the score of 7–9 indicated “very
good” quality. Texture analyses were made by giving points
between 1 and 4. The score of 1 denoted as spoiled, the
score of 2 indicated “acceptable,” the score of 3 indicated
“good” quality and the score of 4 indicated “very good”
quality.
Statistical Analysis
Statistical evaluations of the chemical and sensory analysis
were made by using SPSS 11.5 software program. Data were
treated by analysis of repeated-measurement analysis of
ariance (ANOVA).
1073
ORGANOLEPTIC, CHEMICAL CHANGES OF MARINE SEA BASS G.K. KAYA and Ö. BAŞTÜRK

TABLE 1. THE VALUES OF THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF MARINADES DURING THE STORAGE PERIOD

Food composition in terms of the packing style

Protein (%) Lipid (%) Moisture (%) Ash (%)
Storage
time (day) Sauced Plain Sauced Plain Sauced Plain Sauced Plain
Raw material 18.99 ⫾ 0.29 18.99 ⫾ 0.29 4.73 ⫾ 0.40 4.73 ⫾ 0.40 74.16 ⫾ 0.26 74.16 ⫾ 0.26 1.08 ⫾ 0.07 1.08 ⫾ 0.07
0 19.13 ⫾ 0.14 19.67 ⫾ 0.25 6.43 ⫾ 0.23 6.17 ⫾ 0.30 69.27 ⫾ 0.74 61.90 ⫾ 1.60 4.51 ⫾ 0.25 4.81 ⫾ 0.07
15 20.57 ⫾ 0.49 21.28 ⫾ 0.69 5.93 ⫾ 0.23 4.83 ⫾ 0.08 68.17 ⫾ 0.10 67.16 ⫾ 0.17 4.70 ⫾ 0.05 5.09 ⫾ 0.04
30 20.95 ⫾ 0.10 20.09 ⫾ 1.26 6.33 ⫾ 0.81 6.13 ⫾ 0.40 67.38 ⫾ 0.10 67.25 ⫾ 0.23 4.86 ⫾ 0.04 5.19 ⫾ 0.07
50 19.97 ⫾ 0.66 20.86 ⫾ 0.52 6.60 ⫾ 0.13 6.90 ⫾ 0.16 66.36 ⫾ 0.59 65.56 ⫾ 0.26 4.65 ⫾ 0.04 5.12 ⫾ 0.04
80 20.95 ⫾ 0.42 21.35 ⫾ 0.51 6.77 ⫾ 0.14 5.47 ⫾ 0.38 65.09 ⫾ 0.37 63.82 ⫾ 0.42 4.72 ⫾ 0.05 4.91 ⫾ 0.10
110 21.76 ⫾ 0.38 22.58 ⫾ 0.18 7.10 ⫾ 0.24 6.20 ⫾ 0.36 65.52 ⫾ 0.31 65.57 ⫾ 1.15 4.72 ⫾ 0.12 4.88 ⫾ 0.09
140 22.55 ⫾ 0.38 23.01 ⫾ 0.32 6.45 ⫾ 0.21 5.06 ⫾ 0.09 66.26 ⫾ 0.85 66.79 ⫾ 1.23 4.60 ⫾ 0.19 4.46 ⫾ 0.59
170 23.08 ⫾ 0.40 23.61 ⫾ 0.73 6.93 ⫾ 0.15 4.99 ⫾ 0.06 65.32 ⫾ 0.41 65.35 ⫾ 0.37 4.56 ⫾ 0.10 4.33 ⫾ 0.47
200 24.65 ⫾ 0.51 23.79 ⫾ 0.22 5.30 ⫾ 0.24 5.14 ⫾ 0.04 65.18 ⫾ 0.45 66.19 ⫾ 0.76 4.60 ⫾ 0.07 4.14 ⫾ 0.04

n = 3 (mean value ⫾ standard deviation).

Fuentes et al. (2009) compared the qualities of cultured

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Chemical Composition of the Samples
Changes in the chemical composition of the sea bass used in
the study were examined in the raw material, in marinated
fillets and after placing those into plastic boxes during the
conservation period; and the data obtained during the study
are given in Table 1.
The statistical analysis showed that the crude protein per-
centage of the sea bass packed as plain increased on day 15
but decreased on day 30; after the storage period, it
increased linearly up to 23.79 ⫾ 1.22% on day 200. Similar
changes were seen in the marinades packed as sauced; only
the protein percentage increased on day 30, decreased on
day 50 and reached 24.65 ⫾ 0.51% on day 200.
The crude protein level of 19.10 ⫾ 0.33% ,which Fuentes
et al. (2009) obtained from sea bass raised in aquaculture
conditions, overlaps with the value of the raw material
obtained in our study as 18.99 ⫾ 0.29%. In another study
that investigates the nutritional and mineral content of sea
bass and sea bream, Erkan and Özden (2007) determine the
crude protein level of sea bass as 20.35 ⫾ 0.41%, which is
close to the value obtained in our study.
While the lipid rate – determined as 4.73 ⫾ 0.04% in
the raw material – was determined as 6.43 ⫾ 0.23% in the
sauced marinade group on day 0, when the marinade
matured, and as 6.17 ⫾ 0.30% in the plain marinade group;
it was recorded as 5.30 ⫾ 0.24% in the sauced group and as
5.14 ⫾ 0.04% in the plain group at the end of the storage
period. The lipid content (%) of the marinades packed as
plain varied and did not yield a definite change sequence
(increasing or decreasing). However, the lipid content (%)
of the sauced marinades increased steadily and decreased
sharply on day 200.
and natural sea bass in Greece and Spain, and found the
fat rate for the raw material to be 4.38 ⫾ 0.72% and
4.57 ⫾ 0.17%, respectively. We have found similar results
(the fat rate for the raw material was 4.73 ⫾ 0.40%) in this
study.
While the moisture rate in the sea bass fillets of the raw
material was determined as 74.16 ⫾ 0.26%, it was
61.90 ⫾ 16.0% in the plain group and 69.27 ⫾ 0.74% in the
sauced group, after the marinade matured. The difference
between them was found to be statistically insignificant. The
moisture rates of the marinades packed as sauced and plain
showed a definite change in the first 15 days of the mari-
nade and stayed stable for the rest of the storage period. No
significant difference was found between the groups and
between the stages in the groups (P > 0.05).
The ash content – determined as 1.08 ⫾ 0.07% in the raw
material – reached 4.81 ⫾ 0.07% in the group packed as
plain and 4.51 ⫾ 0.025% in the group packed as sauced on
day 0, when the marinade matured. The crude ash rate of
plain and sauced marinades increased in the first 30 days
of storage but decreased regularly in the following days,
and reached 4.14 ⫾ 0.04% in the plain marinade and
4.22 ⫾ 0.06% in the sauced marinade on day 200. Thus, the
differences on days 0, 15, 30, 50 and 200 were found to be
significant (P < 0.05). In contrast, the differences on days
80, 110, 140 and 170 were found to be insignificant
(P > 0.05).
While the percentage of moisture content determined in
the raw material was the same as the value found by Fuentes
et al. (2009) – 74.56 ⫾ 0.26% – it was close to the values
determined by Erkan and Özden (2007) as 70.21 ⫾ 0.64%.
The crude ash content determined in our study is compat-
ible with the crude ash content determined by Erkan and
Özden (2007) and Fuentes et al. (2009).

1074 Journal of Food Processing and Preservation 38 (2014) 1072–1079 © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
G.K. KAYA and Ö. BAŞTÜRK
FIG. 1. THE CHANGES OF TVB-N VALUES IN SEA BASS MARINADES
PACKED AS PLAIN AND SAUCED DURING STORAGE PERIOD
Chemical Quality Changes
While the TVB-N value of the fresh sea bass used for mari-
nades was determined as 15.24 ⫾ 0.02 mg/100 g, it was
determined as 13.33 ⫾ 0.1 mg/100 g in the sauced group
and as 13.12 ⫾ 0.58 mg/100 g in the plain group at the
beginning of the storage; and it was determined as 18.14 ⫾
0.02 mg/100 g in the sauced group and as 16.77 ⫾ 0.03 mg/
100 g in the plain group at the end of the storage period. In
terms of the TVB-N value, it can be seen that both sauced
and plain marinades can retain properties of a good quality
product until day 200.
The TVB-N changes in the groups during the storage
period are shown in Fig. 1. The TVB-N levels of the plain
and sauced marinades decreased in the first 15 days, and
increased steadily in the ensuing storage period. According
to these results, it can be determined that there was a statis-
tically (P < 0.01) meaningful difference between the plain
and sauced groups. Generally, an important decrease in the
TVB-N values was seen in both of the groups in the first 15
days. A slower, but significant, increase occurred after day
30; and it continued in a way that did not suggest any
meaningful significance (P > 0.05) after day 110. It can be
determined that there was a serious increase after day 110,
and it was statistically significant (P < 0.05).
In the quality classification of fisheries, in terms of
TVB-N values, samples containing 25 mg/100 mg of
TVB-N are defined as “very good”; 30 mg/100 g as “good”;
35 mg/100 g as “marketable”; and samples containing more
than 35 mg/100 g of TVB-N are defined as “bad” (Huss
1988). The increase in TVB-N values determined in the
marinades during the storage period was recorded as
16.77 ⫾ 0.03/18 mg/100 g and 14 ⫾ 0.02 mg/100 g in the
Journal of Food Processing and Preservation 38 (2014) 1072–1079 © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ORGANOLEPTIC, CHEMICAL CHANGES OF MARINE SEA BASS
plain and sauced marinades, respectively, at the end of the
storage period. According to these results, it can be deter-
mined that both of the marinades were of good quality in
terms of TVB-N values, and a significant difference was
not seen between the marinade groups. It can be seen that
there is a parallel between the values acquired in our study,
at the end of the storage period, and the TVB-N value that
Olgunoğlu (2007) determined as 16.91 ⫾ 0.66 mg/100 g at
the end of a 7-month storage period in his study on
anchovy marinades. Aksu et al. (1997) recorded that the
TVB-N value in their marine anchovy was 8.3 mg/100 g,
and it reached 15.2 mg/100 g at the end of a storage period
of 150 days; similarly, Dokuzlu (2000) recorded that
9.8 mg/100 g of TVB-N content reached 14 mg/100 g at
the end of a storage period of 8 months at 4C. Özden and
Baygar (2003), in their study, report that, although the
increases in TVB-N values varied during the storage
period, the recorded TVB-N values of anchovy, horse
mackerel, chub mackerel and sardine – until day 120 –
were under the consumable limit values. In another study
conducted by Varlık et al. (2000), the TVB-N value was
recorded as 10.45 mg/100 g onday 150. In a study con-
ducted by Gökoğlu et al. (2004), it was determined that the
TVB-N value in marinades, prepared by using 2% of acetic
acid and 10% of salt, went from 9.3 mg/100 g to 30.2 mg/
100 g on day 150; and it went from 10.3 mg/100 g to
23.3 mg/100 g in the marinades prepared by using 4% of
acetic acid and 10% of salt and, at the end of 150 days, it
was within the consumable limit values. In another study,
investigating the shelf life of sardines marinated in tomato
sauce (Kılınç and Çaklı 2005), pasteurization was applied
and the unpasteurized samples were reported to have a
shelf life of 6 months. The TVB-N levels were reported to
increase to 19.13 mg/100 g in the pasteurized samples and
to 28.47 mg/100 g in the unpasteurized samples at the end
of 6 months. In a study on the biochemical and bacterio-
logical review of marinades obtained from cephalopoda,
crustaceans and gasteropots, Özoğlu et al. (2007) recorded
that the TVB-N value of 6.05 mg/100 g at the beginning of
the storage period increased to 11.19 mg/100 g at the end
of 5 months of storage.
While the TBA value of the raw material is recorded
as 1.05 ⫾ 0.60 mg MA/kg in our study, it increased to
1.27 ⫾ 0.03 mg MA/kg in the plain marinades, and to
1.68 ⫾ 0.04 mg MA/kg in the sauced marinades on day 0.
The differences between the groups were found to be statis-
tically insignificant (P > 0.05). The change in the TBA
number during the storage period is given in Fig. 2.
As seen in Fig. 2, the TBA value (1.27 ⫾ 0.03 mg MA/kg
in the plain marinades and 1.68 ⫾ 0.04 mg MA/kg in the
sauced marinades) on day 0 continued to increase during
the storage, and it reached 5.87 ⫾ 0.09 mg MA/kg in the
sauced samples and 5.65 ⫾ 0.19 mg MA/kg in the plain
1075
ORGANOLEPTIC, CHEMICAL CHANGES OF MARINE SEA BASS
FIG. 2. THE CHANGES IN TBA VALUES IN SEA BASS MARINADES
PACKED AS PLAIN AND SAUCED DURING STORAGE PERIOD
samples. In the statistical comparison between the TBA
values at the end of the research, the difference between the
groups for day 110 was found to be significant (P < 0.05),
but it was found to be insignificant (P > 0.05) for the rest of
the storage period.
It has been stated that the level of thiobarbituric acid
(TBA), used to determine the rancidity of oil, should be
under 3 in a very good material, should not be more than
5 in a good material and that rancidity occurs when TBA
exceeds 4 mg MA/kg in fish meat; and that the consum-
ability limit is between 7–8 mg MA/kg (Curran et al. 1980;
Varlık et al. 1993). In our study, while the TBA value was
determined as 1.05 ⫾ 0.60 mg MA/kg in raw material, it
was determined as 1.27 ⫾ 0.03 mg MA/kg in the plain
marinades and as 1.68 ⫾ 0.04 mg MA/kg in the sauced
marinades on day 0, when maturation was complete. It
was also seen that both of the marinades retained their
“very good” quality at the end of the storage period of
200 days.
Erdem et al. (2005) report that the TBA level in mari-
nated horse mackerel, which was 0.54 mg MA/kg in raw
material, reached 4.09 mg MA/kg on day 90 and was of
good quality, but reached 8.97 mg MA/kg on day 120, and
went bad. While the results of the study in question for day
90 support the results of the present study for day 80, some
inconsistencies between the TBA values at the end of the
storage period have been detected. In a marinade study
done on anchovy, it was reported that the TBA level was
1.65 mg MA/kg in the first week, and increased to 2.35 mg
MA/kg in the 10th week (Yapar 1998).
Sallam et al. (2007) found that the raw TBA level of
Pacific saury, marinated in different acid solutions, was
0.37 mg MA/kg, and they stressed the fact that it was of
1076 Journal of Food Processing and Preservation 38 (2014) 1072–1079 © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
G.K. KAYA and Ö. BAŞTÜRK
good quality; although, during 90 days of storage, there was
not a regular increase. These values support our findings.
Kılınç and Çaklı (2005) stored pasteurized and unpasteur-
ized sardine marinades with tomato at 4C, and determined
initial TBA values as 4.33 mg MA/kg and 4.47 mg MA/kg,
respectively. It was thought that the reason for the high
initial TBA values in their study was the usage of sardine
fillets frozen and stored for 5 months.
They, nonetheless, proved that the TBA values, in the
order mentioned above, rose to 8.14 mg MA/kg and
8.21 mg MA/kg at the end of 6 months; and they state that
the shelf life for the product was 6 months at +4C. Even
though their initial values do not overlap with our results,
they support our results concerning the shelf life of the
product. Olgunoğlu (2007) states that the TBA values in the
anchovy marinades showed as 1.16 mg MA/kg at the begin-
ning of the storage showed a regular increase and reached
4.20 mg MA/kg at the end of 7 months of storage. These
results are lower than the TBA levels of the marinades in
our study. It is thought that this difference, which influences
the quality of the marinades, is the result of a good raw
material, good storage heat, and acid and salt level of the
solution, as well as the use of additives.
The TMA-N value, determined as 1.39 ⫾ 0.01 mg/100 g
in the raw material, increased to 1.88 ⫾ 0.02 mg/100 g in
the plain sea bass marinades, and to 1.87 ⫾ 0.03 mg/100 g
in the sauced sea bass marinades, after maturation; and the
difference between the groups was found to be statistically
insignificant (P > 0.05). The changes in TMA-N in the plain
and in the sauced sea bass marinades during the storage
period are shown in Fig. 3.
As can be seen in Fig. 3, the TMA-N values – which did
not change significantly up to day 50 of the storage period –
FIG. 3. THE CHANGES IN TMA-N VALUES IN PLAIN AND SAUCED SEA
BASS MARINADES DURING STORAGE
G.K. KAYA and Ö. BAŞTÜRK
fell below the initial value on day 80 in both groups, and
increased steadily from that time onwards, reaching 2.81–
3.07 mg/100 g. In the statistical evaluation of the obtained
data, the difference between the groups was found to be
insignificant (P > 0.05) on days 0 and 15, but was significant
(P < 0.05) on days 30, 50, 80, 110, 140, 170 and 200.
Trimethylamine oxide (TMA-O), which naturally exists
in the muscles of fish, is a significant compound acting as
an osmoregulator. Although it is significant in sea products,
it is almost non-existent in freshwater products. TMA-O is
reduced to TMA-N with the effect of microorganisms in the
storage of water products and the trimethylaminemethylase
enzyme. TMA-N has a fishy smell, and it increases and
makes the smell stronger depending on the decomposition
level (Kietzman et al. 1969). Şengör (2000) states that the
TMA-N compound does not cause the fishy smell on its
own, and that it is only an agent that creates the smell, and
that the smell appears as a result of the TMA reacting with
the lipid in fish muscles. It has been reported that the TMA
value in freshwater products was nearly 1 mg/100 g and
over 8 mg/100 g (FAO 1986) in samples that went bad. In
the quality classification of water products, in terms of the
TMA-N value, the products with a TMA value up to 4 mg/
100 g are classified as “good”; up to 10 mg/100 g, as
“marketable”; and up to 12 mg/100 g or above,as “bad”
(Kundakçı 1989). It has been determined that both of the
marinades – either the raw material quality or the mari-
nades obtained from raw materials – are of good quality,
according to the criteria mentioned above. Yapar (1998), in
his study investigating the quality changes in anchovy mari-
nades, kept two different maturation solutions (group
1–10% salt + 2% vinegar; group 2–15% salt + 2% vinegar)
for 10 weeks and determined the TMA-N value as 4.07 mg/
100 g in the first group and as 3.44 mg/100 g in the second
group. These values correspond to day 80 of our study and
they do not overlap with the values in our study for our
results for day 80. In their study investigating the changes
during anchovy marinade production in different acid–salt
concentrations, Aksu et al. (1997) – after maturing the
marinades by using 2% acetic acid and 10% salt for group
A, 4% acetic acid and 12% salt for group B, 6% acetic acid
and 16% salt for group C, and packing the groups in sun-
flower seed oil and storing them at 4C for 150 days –
obtained the following TMA-N results: 4.37 mg/100 g in
group A; 3.70 mg/100 g in group B; and 3.60 mg/100 g in
group C. In their study to determine the chemical and orga-
noleptic characteristics of Pacific saury (Cololabis saira)
marinated in a brine of 12% salt, or different solutions of
12% salt and 2% acetic acid, and 12% salt and 3% acetic
acid, Sallam et al. (2007) obtained TMA-N values for the
groups, after marination, as 0.84, 0.69 and 0.72 mg/100 g
(0%, 2% and 3% acetic acid), respectively. They reported
that the increase in the TMA-N level was quite slow and did
Journal of Food Processing and Preservation 38 (2014) 1072–1079 © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ORGANOLEPTIC, CHEMICAL CHANGES OF MARINE SEA BASS
FIG. 4. THE CHANGES OF PEROXIDE NUMBER (POS MEQ/KG) IN
PLAIN AND SAUCED SEA BASS MARINADES DEPENDING ON TIME
not exceed 2 mg/100 g on days 30, 40 and 50; but, on day 90
(the last period of storage), it reached 8.37 in the group to
which 0% acid was applied, 5.52 in the group to which 2%
acid was applied, and 4.47 in the group to which 3% acid
was applied.
In a study to determine the shelf life of marinated fish
balls, Varlık et al. (2000) report that the TMA-N value of
1.85 mg/100 g at the beginning of the storage increased to
2.85 mg/100 g on day 150. These results support the values
obtained on day 140 of our study. In a study by Kılınç and
Çaklı (2005), the TMA-N values in pasteurized and unpas-
teurized tomato-sauced sardine marinades at the beginning
of storage were recorded as 1.71 mg/100 g and 2.03 mg/
100 g, respectively; and they reached 7.73 mg/100 g and
10.86 mg/100 g at the end of 6 months of storage. The TMA
level in fish changes and depends on factors such as season
and region of capture, species, muscle type and processing
techniques (Herbard et al. 1982). Thus, we conclude that the
differences between the studies occur because of these
factors.
In our study, the peroxide number – determined
as 1.91 ⫾ 0.02 meq/kg in the raw material – increased to
1.85 ⫾ 0.16 meq/kg in the plain sea bass marinade, and to
1.81 ⫾ 0.23 meq/kg in the sauced sea bass marinade, after
maturation; and to 4.48 ⫾ 0.20 meq/kg in the sauced sea
bass marinade, and to 5.12 ⫾ 0.15 meq/kg in the plain sea
bass marinade, at the end of storage. These results are under
the deterioration limit level. The changes in the peroxide
number during storage in the plain and sauced sea bass
marinades are shown in Fig. 4. It can be seen that the perox-
ide number for the marinades packed as plain was higher
1077
ORGANOLEPTIC, CHEMICAL CHANGES OF MARINE SEA BASS G.K. KAYA and Ö. BAŞTÜRK

TABLE 2. THE SENSORY CHANGES OF MARINADES DURING STORAGE PERIOD

Appearance Flavor Texture

Storage
time (day) Sauced Plain Sauced Plain Sauced Plain
0 9.00 ⫾ 0.00 9.00 ⫾ 0.00 7.60 ⫾ 0.55 8.20 ⫾ 0.45 4.00 ⫾ 0.00 4.00 ⫾ 0.00
15 8.60 ⫾ 0.55 8.80 ⫾ 0.45 7.20 ⫾ 0.45 8.20 ⫾ 0.45 3.60 ⫾ 0.55 4.00 ⫾ 0.00
30 8.20 ⫾ 0.45 8.60 ⫾ 0.55 6.80 ⫾ 0.45 7.80 ⫾ 0.45 3.60 ⫾ 0.55 3.80 ⫾ 0.45
50 7.60 ⫾ 0.55 8.00 ⫾ 0.71 6.40 ⫾ 0.55 7.40 ⫾ 0.90 3.20 ⫾ 0.84 3.40 ⫾ 0.55
80 7.20 ⫾ 0.45 7.80 ⫾ 0.45 5.60 ⫾ 0.55 7.00 ⫾ 0.71 2.80 ⫾ 0.84 3.40 ⫾ 0.55
110 6.60 ⫾ 0.55 7.60 ⫾ 0.55 5.60 ⫾ 0.55 6.60 ⫾ 0.55 2.80 ⫾ 0.84 3.20 ⫾ 0.45
140 6.40 ⫾ 0.55 7.00 ⫾ 0.71 5.20 ⫾ 0.45 6.20 ⫾ 0.84 2.80 ⫾ 0.84 3.00 ⫾ 0.71
170 5.80 ⫾ 0.45 6.20 ⫾ 0.45 4.60 ⫾ 0.55 5.80 ⫾ 0.45 2.40 ⫾ 0.55 2.80 ⫾ 0.45
200 5.40 ⫾ 0.55 5.60 ⫾ 0.55 4.40 ⫾ 0.55 4.80 ⫾ 0.84 2.20 ⫾ 0.84 2.40 ⫾ 0.55

n = 5 (mean value ⫾ standard deviation).

than for the marinades packed as sauced from day 80
onward; and the plain marinades had a steady increase,
while the sauced marinades had a nonstable change curve.
One of the first products that were formed in the oxida-
tion of unsaturated fatty acids is peroxide. Thus, the
determination of peroxide formed in the initial phase of
rancidity is mostly used as an indicator of quality. The per-
oxide number (POS), which is an indicator of oxidation in
fats, is a measure of the active oxygen level in fats and is
equivalent to a mill equivalent of peroxide oxygen found in
1 kg of fat (Yapar and Erdöl 1999). It is stated that, in a
high-quality material, the peroxide number should be
under 2 mmol O2/kg fat (= 4 meq/kg), and it should not be
more than 5 mmol O2/kgfat (= 10 meq/kg) in a good mate-
rial; and its consumability limit is 10 mmol O2/kg fat
(= 20 meq/kg) [15].
It can be seen that the peroxide numbers were under
5 mmol O2/kg fat (=10 meq/kg) in the plain and sauced sea
bass marinades, and they had good material quality.
Olgunoğlu (2007) states that the POS value in anchovy
marinades showed variations during the 7-month storage
period, and the POS value he determined as 18.7 meq/kg at
the end of storage is higher than the values in our study; but
they are similar in that they are both within the consumable
limits.
significant difference between the groups. However, depend-
ing on the storage period in terms of the days, the statistical
difference in each group was meaningful (P < 0.01). Gener-
ally, in terms of flavor, the plain sea bass marinades were
observed to be of “very good” quality from the beginning of
storage until day 80, and of “good” quality between days 110
and 200. The sauced sea bass marinades were of “very good”
quality until day, and of “good” quality between days 30 and
200. The average values obtained in terms of texture show
that the plain sea bass marinades had proper tissue charac-
teristics up to day 170; however, the sauced sea bass mari-
nades retained their proper tissue characteristics until day
140, and they were evaluated as “acceptable” from that time
until the end of storage. According to the statistical evalua-
tion of the texture changes, there is not a statistically
meaningful difference between the plain and sauced sea bass
marinades. However, the periodic changes measured in both
of the groups are found to be statistically significant
(P < 0.01).
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This study is a summary of Gülderen Kurt Kaya’s PhD
thesis. The Scientific Research Projects Administration Unit
of Mersin University supported this research.

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