Chapter 8 - Spoilage of Meat and Fish

Abstract

Meat and meat products and fish and fish products represent excellent growth media for a large variety of spoilage microorganisms, originating from breeding, fishing, harvesting, preslaughter husbandry practices, and handling during slaughtering, processing, and selling. This microbial population includes psychrotolerant and/or psychrotrophic Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, molds, and yeasts, whose metabolic activity may lead to the production of ammonia, biogenic amines, nonproteic nitrogen compounds, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, esters, gas (CO2), and other molecules, being responsible of off-odors, off-flavors, discoloration, slime, and swelling of the packages. The storage temperature and the processing technologies may limit or slow down the microbial growth and improve meat and fish shelf life.