Acceleration of Fish Viscera Silage by Prefermented Starter Culture.

The use of different levels of prefermented silage culture (PSC) (5 to 15 g/100 g fish
viscera) on fermentation of fresh water fish viscera (FV) containing molasses (5 to 10
g/100 g), propionic acid (0.5 ml/100 g) and ethoxyquin (0.02 g/100 g) was
examined. Fast fermentations (pH < 4.2 in 18 h) were obtained with 7.5 g molasses
and 15 g PSC, and 10 g molasses and either 5 or 10 g PSC, all per 100 g FV, implying
that a significant amount of fermentable sugar was also contributed by the PSC to the
fermentation. Lactic acid bacteria reached counts of 109/g within 12 h and the silage
was essentially free from pathogens within 1 day of fermentation. Rises in the volume
of fermentation mixtures were greater at lower levels of added molasses.