The Central Institute of Fisheries Technology here has developed a simple, low-cost and easy-to-operate device to assess the freshness of fish in the market.

The paper-based disc can be used on packed fish and shell fishes. The paper disc is attached inside the pack without coming in contact with the fish. This will absorb the chemical compounds released during the storage period and changes colour.

The colour change indicates the freshness of fish without any elaborate and costly laboratory tests. CO Mohan, senior scientist, Fish Processing Division, CIFT, said the cost of the test is nominal and will not affect the sale price of fish. This freshness indicator can be used on chilled, refrigerated and iced fish.

The use of freshness indicator is beneficial to both producer/manufacturer and consumer.

The test allows the monitoring of supply chains. The consumers will get better quality fish, Mohan said. There are reports of using adulterants to maintain the freshness of fish, which has affected the business and trust of consumers.

The freshness of fish is either ensured by sensory attributes or by analytical methods, which is time-consuming, costly and not real-time, he said.

In many instances, consumers who buy inferior quality fish come to know of it only while cooking or consuming. The availability of low-cost and easy-to-use device will help consumers get good quality fish, while it is helpful to traders to maintain better conditions to retain the freshness.

CIFT scientists K.Elavarasan, Pankaj Kishore, and SK Panda were part of the team that developed the device.

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