Studies of the iced storage characteristics and composition of a variety of Bolivian freshwater fish. 2. Parana and Amazon Basins fish

Summary. A selection of fish from the warm lowland waters of the Parana and Amazonian Basins were studied to determine their shelf lives and spoilage characteristics when stored in crushed ice. The proximate composition and physical nature of these fish species was also determined. A shelf life of 25 days was estimated for sabalo (Prochilodusplatensis) from the Parana Basin regardless of whether the fish were stored entire or eviscerated. The larger fish from the Amazonian Basin, pacu (Colossoma macropomurn), chincuiiia (Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum) and tambaqui (Colossoma branchypomum) exhibited shelf lives of greater than 40 days. The smaller fish from this location had shelf lives of over 30 days for corvina (Plagioscion squamosissimus) and 25 days for bagrk (Ageneiosus spp.). An evaluation of the methods used to assess fish quality was made. The assertion that tropical fish have longer shelf lives than temperate species when stored in crushed ice is discussed.