1. Introduction
Fish paste is popular condiment that possessing a characteristic appetite-stimulating aroma. Fish paste is
obtained through fermentation of fish or shrimp with 20-25% salt under ambient conditions (1). Fish fermentation is
one way to preserve food products, enhance nutritive value, destroy undesirable factors, improve the appearance and
taste of food, reduce the energy required for cooking, and make a safer product (2), have a high nutrition, unique
flavor and long storage capability (3). Microorganisms and endogenous enzymes activities can convert organic
substances into simple compounds such as peptides, amino acids, other nitrogenous compounds and fatty acid (4).
Antioxidant activity has been found in a number of fermented fishery products such as fermented blue mussels (5),
fish sauces (6) and fermented shrimp paste (7). Fish is generally good sources of protein and PUFA (8) but could be
damaged during severe fermentation conditions.
Salt fermented shrimp paste exhibited antioxidant activity. Increasing in total antioxidant activity can be done by
prolonging the fermentation period. Studies have shown that amino compound such as amino acids and peptides that
can perform function as a primary antioxidant (1). The function of salt addition in making of fish paste is to create
the specific condition for fermentation process, without salt the fish will deteriorate. Nowadays many of fish paste
producer in Indonesia prefer to use lower salt to produce fish paste. With lower salt, the fermentation process could
be disturbed by putrefaction, which may reduce the nutritional value of the product. This study was aimed to
investigate the changes of amino acid and fatty acid during early stage of fermentation periods (8 and 32 days
fermentation) of Anchovy fish paste with low salt concentration (2%). Anchovy fish paste has a specific
morphology (9).