Abstract
We analyzed the contents of sodium, potassium and salt, free amino acids composition, fatty acid composition and the bacterial contamination of “pasted Kapi” and “nam prik” in Thailand.
The results were as follows:
1. The averages of contents of sodium, potassium and salt, and water activity were 10,797mg/100g,116mg/100g,27.4%, and 0.710 in Kapi, and 2,959mg/100g,727mg/100g,7.5% and 0.669 in Namprik, respectively.
2. The total amounts of free amino acids of “Kapi” and “Nam prik” were 584 mg/100g∼3,304mg/100g and 786 mg/100 g∼2,393 mg/100g, respectively. The major free amino acids of two fermented foods or typical Thai seasoning were glutamic acid, glycine, ansuline and alginine.
3. Major fatty acid composition of “Kapi” and “Nam prik” were C16: 0, C18: 0, C18: 1, C22: 6, and C16: 0, C18: 1, C18: 2, respectively.
4. Bacterial counts isolated from “Kapi” and “Nam prik” were 103∼104/g and 104∼106/g, respectively. Coliform organisms, E. coli and Staphylococcus were not detected from either fermented food.
