Some chemical and microbiological qualities of anchoes treated with propolis

Abstract The present study aimed to investigate the preservative effects of ethanolic propolis extract at concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 3% on anchovy ( Engraulis encrasicolus ) during 7 days of refrigerated storage at 4 °C. The 3% propolis treatment significantly inhibited microbial growth, with total psychrotrophic aerobic bacteria counts of 1.47 log cfu/g compared to 7.04 log cfu/g in the control. Additionally, propolis delayed lipid oxidation, as indicated by lower thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values, and helped maintain the freshness and color of the samples. These findings suggest that 3% ethanolic propolis extract is an effective natural preservative for extending the shelf-life and improving the quality of refrigerated anchovy.