Effects of drying process on biochemical and microbiological quality of silverside (fish) Atherina lagunae

Changes in biochemical and microbiological quality of silverside during two drying process were investigated. Total fatty acid and amino acid contents in silverside were 5.42 and 10.9 g 100 g^?1 fresh sample, respectively, in which, palmitic acid and glutamic acid were the most abundant. N‐3 and n‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) levels were 0.59 and 0.62 g 100 g^?1 fresh silverside respectively. After hot air and solar drying treatments, Peroxide value and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances of the total lipids increased significantly (P < 0.05) to reach 2.58 and 3.41 meq active O₂ kg^?1 oil and 0.87 and 1.27 mg MA kg^?1 oil, respectively. Fatty acid profile of non‐polar lipid remains unchanged during experimental drying process. However, PUFA (% of total fatty acids) of polar lipid decreased significantly (P < 0.05) during both drying process with lower levels in solar drying process. Drying conditions had a significant effect on the microbiological quality. Therefore, mesophiles and total coliforms increased within drying treatment with higher counts in solar drying process.