Biochemical and microbial characterization of Ngari and Hentaak - traditional fermented fish products of India.

Ngari and hentaak are the two most preferred traditional salt-free fermented fish products of North-Eastern (NE) states of India. Chemical and microbial composition, antioxidative potential, fatty acid profile and electrophoretic pattern of protein in ngari and hentaak were studied. pH and total titratable acidity (TTA) of the products justified their stability at ambient temperature. Both ngari and hentaak showed higher contents of calcium (362.79 ± 26.89, 472.11 ± 62.7); sodium (199.66 ± 24.92, 94.0 ± 12.78); potassium (58.20 ± 7.36, 75.74 ± 6.62) and magnesium (16.056 ± 3.89, 21.125 ± 3.78) respectively. Iron, copper and zinc were found in lesser amount. DPPH (·) radical scavenging activity was close to 87 % in both the products and the ferric chloride reducing power assay was dose dependent in both the products. Both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids were found in ngari; whereas, only omega-3 fatty acids were observed in hentaak. Linoleic acid (11.68 %) and arachidonic acid (0.65 %) were the n-6 PUFA in ngari; while, in hentaak, it was only arachidonic acid (8.54 %). Apart from essential fatty acids, essential amino acids were also found in considerable quantity in both the products. Micrococcus sp. and Staphylococcus sp. were found to be the dominant bacterial genus in both the products; while Ngari also had lactic acid bacteria group. The nutritional properties afforded by these products justify their preference by the population.