The effect of partial replacement of NaCl by KCl on sensory and microbial properties of hot smoked kilka (Clupeonella cultriventris caspia) during storage in refrigerator

The effect of partial replacement of NaCl by KCl on sensory and microbial properties of hot smoked kilka (Clupeonella cultriventris caspia) during storage in refrigeratorwas investigated in two stages. Samples were initially prepared and, in the first stage, were exposed to brine solution with 15% mixture of NaCl/KCl at 5 different levels (NaCl 100%, control; NaCl/KCl 75/ 25 %, treatment A; NaCl/KCl (50/ 50%, treatment B; NaCl/KCl 25/ 75%, treatment C; KCl 100%, treatment D) for 3 hrs. The smoking process included turning the samples into drying and hot smokes by slow and high rates of Atmos set.All samples were tested by sensoryanalysisand saltintaketo select the nominated treatments.In the second stage, sensory and microbial properties of selected treatment were compared with the control samples during storage in refrigerator for 15 days. Microbial tests revealed significantly greaterrate of mold contamination in treatment A (25/75% KCl/NaCl) than the control (100% NaCl) in the early days, but reduced later in both. The sensory analysis indicated no significant difference between the two treatments. According to the results, sodium chloride could be replaced up to 25%with potassium chloride for hot-smoked kilka without negative effects on microbial and sensory properties.