Combining slightly acidic electrolyzed water and slurry ice to prolong the shelf‐life of mackerel ( Pneumatophorus japonicus )

Abstract

The comprehensive effects of slightly acidic electrolyzed water and slurry ice (SAEW-SI) on the growth of microorganisms, physicochemical reaction, and sensory attributes of mackerel (Pneumatophorus japonicus) were evaluated during storage at 4°C. The changes in microbiological (total viable counts (TVCs), psychrophilic bacteria counts, pseudomonas bacteria counts, H2S-producing bacteria counts), physicochemical (pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), water-holding capacity (WHC), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), texture profile analysis (TPA), color difference, adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-related compounds), protein characteristic (SDS-PAGE, fluorescence spectroscopy analysis), and sensory evaluation were analyzed. It was observed that the SAEW-SI treatment had a strong inhibitory effect on microbial growth (5.8 log CFU/g on 24th day). And SAEW-SI could alleviate the oxidation degree of myoglobin and lipid, thus the color of samples was greatly maintained. According to the sensory attributes, the shelf-life of samples in the SAEW-SI group increased by 6 days compared to the control group. Therefore, SAEW-SI could be a useful preservation approach for the fish industry. Novelty Impact Statement The comprehensive effects of SAEW-SI on the quality of mackerel (Pneumatophorus japonicus) were evaluated during storage at 4°C. SAEW-SI showed the best antibacterial potential without any deleterious effects on the mackerel. SAEW-SI could extend the shelf-life of mackerel for another 6 days with a high sensory score.