Effects of Different Curing Methods on the Quality of Prepared Sharpbelly

This study was carried out in order to explore the influence of different curing methods (dry salting, wet salting, dry salting followed by wet salting, and ultrasonic-assisted pickling) on the quality of fish. Changes in the water content, crude fat content, free amino acid content, texture, chromatic value, water-holding capacity and cooking loss rate of prepared sharpbelly were studied during the salting process. The results showed that the dry salted and pickled samples had the highest and lowest moisture contents, respectively. The crude fat content decreased after salting, the largest decrease being observed with ultrasonic-assisted pickling. Moreover, the brightness increased, and the hardness decreased. The adhesiveness, springiness and chewiness increased after all salting treatments except for dry salting. Salting affected the free amino acid content significantly (P < 0.05) with a significant increase for dry salting. Salting reduced the water-holding capacity. Pickling alone and in combination with dry salting resulted in the highest and lowest cooking loss rates, respectively. To sum up, different curing methods have a certain impact on the physicochemical properties of sharpbelly. Choosing the appropriate curing method can improve the eating quality of the fish and extend its shelf life.