RESUMO
BACKGROUND: To improve the quality of processed grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) products and control the accumulation of hazardous substances therein, minced grass carp slices were salted for 6 h at room temperature and then inoculated with mixed starter cultures of Lactobacillus casei, Streptococcus lactis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hansen and Monascus anka and fermented for 12 h at 30 degrees C. The changes in some characteristics and biogenic amine contents of the fermented muscles were investigated. RESULTS: During the 12 h fermentation at 30 degrees C, muscles inoculated with mixed starter cultures showed a rapid decrease in pH from 6.0 to 5.1 and suppression of the growth of enterobacteria and pseudomonads. The fermented muscles exhibited better colour, appearance, flavour and overall acceptability than the control (P < 0.05). The changes in non-protein nitrogen and free amino acid contents of the fermented muscles and in their sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis profiles indicated that severe hydrolysis of muscle proteins occurred during fermentation. The accumulation of biogenic amines in the muscles was efficiently reduced by fermentation with mixed starter cultures. CONCLUSION: Fermentation with mixed starter cultures of L. casei, S. lactis, S. cerevisiae Hansen and M. anka significantly improved the characteristics of grass carp muscles and controlled the accumulation of biogenic amines.