Comparative Analysis of Bioactive Components of Enzymatically and Fermentatively Produced Fish Sauce from Sardine

Fish sauce, a flavored condiment produced by traditional fermentation of low-value fish. The time of fermentation and biochemical safety of sauce are the major concern in traditional fermentation. The enzymatic and fermentative methods were employed to produce Sardine (Sardinella longiceps) sauce under optimized conditions using response surface method. Salt (20%, w/w) and papain (3%, w/w) were used for enzymatic production; while, salt (25%, w/w), sugar (7.5%, w/w) and lactic culture (10%, w/v; Pediococcus pentosaceus FSBP4-40) were employed in fermentative production. Significant change in bioactive components such as pH, non-enzymatic browning, non-protein nitrogen, degree of hydrolysis, titratable acidity, total soluble nitrogen, and total volatile base nitrogen was observed in treated samples compared to the control. Total antioxidant activity (as ascorbic acid, μg/ml), percent DPPH, ABTS, and superoxide anion scavenging activities of fermented sauce were higher at 3976±90, 53.11±0.5, 99.6±0.3, 67.7±0.5 respectively; as compared to enzyme-treated samples which showed 952±70, 31.46±0.5, 76.5±1.0, 61.8±1.4 for the respective parameters, after 180 days storage. Reducing potential was found significantly higher (P<0.05) in treated sauces compared to the control and fatty acid profile showed different changes. The study emphasizes the role of accelerating fermentation, either enzymatically or fermentatively, to produce biochemically and biofunctional superior Sardine sauce.