Effect of using starch on off-odors retention in tuna dark meat

During the process of canned tuna fish, considerable amounts of tuna dark meat are leftover because of its dark color and off-odors as lipid oxidation and fishy odors. The effect of using maltodextrin, corn and rice starch on off-odors retention in tuna dark meat was investigated by total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), trimethylamine (TMA), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and confirmed some oxidized compounds by GC-MS method. 3% of maltodextrin, corn and rice starch solutions were used for washing solutions. A decrease of TVB-N and TMA values in tuna dark meat occurred after washing with those starch solutions. The lowest of TBARS values in tuna dark meat was obtained after washing with maltodextrin solution for 30 min. In addition, volatile compounds peak in term of quality and quantity from the meat washing with maltodextrin solution as 13.06% of peak area was lesser than other treatments particularly control, unwashed sample as 42.71% of peak area. Therefore, maltodextrin solution may have a potential to improve quality of off-odors in tuna dark meat, which could be utilized for further product.