Use of dill extracts as a natural preservative on shelf-life extension of rainbow trout croquettes during refrigerator storage.

In this study, changes in quality parameters of rainbow trout croquettes treated with dill extracts obtained by brewing (BDA) and distillation (DDA) methods were investigated during 61 days of refrigerated storage (+2 ± 1°C). Physicochemical, microbial, and sensory parameters of the rainbow trout croquettes were analyzed once every 4 days. It was observed that the precooking process and additives influenced the nutrient composition and color change of the croquettes. Total volatile base nitrogen and thiobarbituric acid values did not exceed the limit values in any group during refrigerated storage and these values were found as 23.10 ± 0.89 mg/100 g and 3.13 ± 0.08 mg MDA/kg in the control group (C), 21.00 ± 0.92 mg/100 g and 2.77 ± 0.14 mg MDA/kg in BDA group, and 21.70 ± 0.92 mg/100 g and 2.85 ± 0.07 mg MDA/kg in DDA group, respectively. Extract treatments, especially DDA, resulted in a significant reduction in the counts of total aerobic mesophilic and psychotropic bacteria in trout croquettes compared to the control group. It was determined that the sensory scores of all croquette groups decreased during storage and the acceptability scores of the C, BDA, and DDA groups reached on the 33rd, 57th, and 61st days of storage, respectively. According to the results, this work demonstrated that the dill extracts both distilled and brewed can be used as a natural additive to improve the quality and extend the shelf life of rainbow trout croquettes.