The Effectiveness of Concentration of Chitosan Extracted from Tiger Shrimp Shells as a Natural Preservative of Kenyar Fish

A study to find the effectiveness of chitosan concentration as a natural preservative on Kenyan fish ( Sarda orientalis ) has been conducted. The chitosan powder used is extracted from tiger prawn ( Penaeus monodon ) shells, and it is used in the form of a solution with a concentration of 1%, 1.5%, 2%, and 2.5%. Fresh kenyar fish of 500 g were soaked in those chitosan solutions and named A1, A2, A3, and A4, respectively. Two sample groups were prepared as a comparison; they weren’t treated with any chitosan solution; they were A02, 500 g of kenyar fish soaked in 2% acetic acid, and A01, 500 g of kenyar fish without any treatment. The soaking times were varied as 20, 40, and 60 minutes. Storage is carried out at room temperature. The activity of chitosan as a fish preservative was analyzed using various methods, including pH, organoleptic, and antimicrobial tests. The measurements of pH and organoleptic test were made at 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours. The antimicrobial tests were carried out after 24 hours of storage. The study concluded that the effective concentration of chitosan as a preservative agent of fresh kenyar fish is 2.5% (A4) with 40 minutes of soaking time, with the quality parameters are pH 5, an organoleptic score of 9, and the total number of microbes is 1.2 x 10 5 CFU/g.