Sensory, Microbiological and Chemical Changes in Vacuum‐Packaged Blue Spotted Emperor ( Lethrinus sp), Saddletail Snapper ( Lutjanus malabaricus), Crimson Snapper ( Lutjanus erythropterus), Barramundi ( Lates calcarifer) and Atlantic Salmon ( Salmo salar) Fillets Stored at 4°C

• Published in: Food Science & Nutrition
• Main Authors: Fuentes‐Amaya, Luisa Fernanda, Munyard, Steve, Fernandez‐Piquer, Judith, Howieson, Janet
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2015
• Subjects: Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.309; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Ffsn3.309; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/fsn3.309; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/fsn3.309

Abstract Quality assessment of finfish fillets during storage is important to be able to predict the shelf life of the fresh product during distribution. Microbial, chemical ( pH , TMA , and TVB ‐N), and sensory (Quality index assessment QIA , Torry scheme) changes in vacuum‐packaged blue‐spotted emperor ( Lethrinus sp), saddletail ( Lutjanus malabaricus ), crimson snapper ( Lutjanus erythropterus ), barramundi ( Lates calcarifer ), and Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) fillets stored at 4°C were evaluated for 5 days. Microbiological study included evaluation of TVC (total viable counts), total psychrotrophic organisms, and H 2 S‐producing bacteria. Numbers increased during storage time and reached an average of 8.5, 8.5, and 9.2 log 10 cfu/g, respectively, for the five different fish species. These levels were above accepted microbiological limits for fish fillets. Although the sensory analyses showed a decrease in quality, none of the finfish fillets were considered unacceptable at the end of the storage trial. Chemically, there was a slight pH increase, but trimethylamine ( TMA ) levels remained low. However, total volatile basic nitrogen ( TVB ‐N) levels increased over time, reaching levels above 35 mg/100 g for blue spotted emperor, saddletail snapper, and crimson snapper by the end of the storage period. Results show that the deterioration of finfish fillet quality is a complex event of biochemical, sensory, and microbial factors, and multiple analyses may be required to define acceptability.