Indian Journal of Microbiology

Black pomfrets (Pampus niger) stored in dry ice in the ratio of 1:1 (w/w) were found to be sensorialy suitable for consumption after 24 h without re-icing. Those stored in a combination of dry ice and ice at the ratio of 1:0.2:0.5 and in ice at the ratio of 1:1 remained acceptable up to 18 and 12 h, respectively. The fish stored in combination had total bacterial count of 10⁷ and total psychrotrophs, lactics and H₂S producers were 10⁵ cfu g⁻¹ at the end of storage period. Bacillus constituted 57% of the flora in raw fish. Flavobacterium was the dominant flora in combined package as well as dry ice stored fish, whereas Pseudomonas was dominant in ice stored fish. The shelf life of pomfrets stored in the combination of dry ice increased by 50 per cent over the storage only in ice.