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, LF, Munyard, S, Fernandez-Piquer, J, Howieson, J
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. 2016
• Subjects: Biological Sciences; Microbiology; Microbiology not elsewhere classified; Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.309; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/117144

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 4C were evaluated for 5days. 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 35mg/100g 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.