Refrigerated or Superchilled Skin-Packed Sea Bream (S parus aurata ) Compared with Traditional Unpacked Storage on Ice with Regard to Physicochemical, Microbial and Sensory Attributes

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate whether superchilling in combination with skin packaging can be applied to improve the shelf life of filleted sea bream (Sparus aurata). First, the optimum superchilling temperature for filleted sea bream was determined through the drip loss analysis. Different storage techniques were then compared. Filleted fish was skin packed and stored under either superchilled conditions (−1C) or refrigerated conditions (+2C). These two technologies were also compared with the traditional preservation system of fish fillets stored on ice flakes. Superchilling storage resulted in improved sensory evaluation scores (fresh and cooked evaluation), decreased the values of trimethylamine, total volatile basic nitrogen and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and delayed the growth of spoilage bacteria (Enterobacteriaceae, psychrophilic bacteria, mesophilic bacteria and sulfur-producing bacteria). Our findings suggest that superchilling in combination with skin packaging could be a good preservation technique for extending the shelf life of filleted sea bream. Practical Applications Superchilling maintains the temperature of the food just below its initial freezing point and skin packaging produces an anaerobic ambient while producing minimal pressure stress on food surface. The combination of both processing technologies extends sea bream's shelf life, therefore reducing production costs and extending product commercialization area.