Evaluation of the Fermentation of Scomberomorus tritor by Express Methods: Conductimetry, pH-Metry and Refractometry

Chance fermentation is a biochemical process of transformation and conservation during which degradation of organic molecules (proteins and lipids) occurs through the action of enzymes. Some methods often used to determine degradation products of organic molecules are expensive, slow, inefficient and even critical. But the knowledge of certain physicochemical parameters can lead us to estimate the chemical modifications that occurred during the transformation of a foodstuff. This is how conductimetry, pH-metry and refractometry are used to make an express assessment of the fermentation of Scomberomorus tritor. The biological degradation phenomena of organic molecules being identical at the level of the hydrolyzate as whole fish, the hydrolyzate of Scomberomorus tritor is subjected to a spontaneous fermentation during 72 hours and, evolutions of the electrical conductivity, the index refraction and pH are recorded. The obtained results show the electrical conductivity variations between 1200μS and 8900μS, the one of the pH between 6.8 and 6.3 and the one of the refractive index between 1.331 and 1.333 during the fermentation of Scomberomorus tritor. These variations are due to the appearance of suspended degradation products (ionized bodies), proof that there has been fermentation. The instrumental methods used allowed us to make an express assessment of the fermentation of Scomberomorus tritor. These methods are sensitive, fast, effective and do not need chemical reagents