Application of modified atmosphere packaging on aquacultured fish and fish products: A review

Use of encapsulated pomegranate seed oil in novel coarse and nanosized materials for improving the storage life of strawberry

Different-sized pomegranate seed oil-based emulsions (coarse (CsP) and nanoemulsions (NsP): 1246 and 325 nm) were successfully prepared. Strawberries treated with NsP and CsP showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in yeast-mold counts (TMY) by 1.80 log CFU g-1, and mesophilic aerobic bacteria counts (TMAB) decreased (p < 0.05) by 0.91 log CFU g-1, respectively. CsP- and NsP-treated strawberries had a TPC of 74.45 and 82.35 mg GAE kg-1, respectively, while control samples had a TPC of 44.24 mg GAE kg-1. The strawberries treated with NsP exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity with 179.44 mol TEAC g-1. After treatment with a coarse emulsion, severity levels of A. niger and B. cinerea were 60 and 73 % while the nanoemulsion treatment significantly reduced severity levels to 55.3 and 56 %. The coarse and nanoemulsions may have potential use within the food industry owing to their antioxidant and antifungal properties as well as their ability to enhance strawberry quality and function.

Volatilome Analysis and Evolution in the Headspace of Packed Refrigerated Fish

Fresh fish is a perishable food in which chemical (namely oxidation) and microbiological degradation result in undesirable odor. Non-processed fish (i.e., raw fish) is increasingly commercialized in packaging systems which are convenient for its retailing and/or which can promote an extension of its shelf-life. Compared to fish sent to its retail unpackaged, fish packaging results in a modification of the gaseous composition of the atmosphere surrounding it. These modifications of atmosphere composition may affect both chemical and microbiological degradation pathways of fish constituents and thereby the volatile organic compounds produced. In addition to monitoring Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen (TVB-N), which is a common indicator to estimate non-processed fish freshness, analytical techniques such as gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry or techniques referred to as "electronic nose" allow either the identification of the entire set of these volatile compounds (the volatilome) and/or to selectively monitor some of them, respectively. Interestingly, monitoring these volatile organic compounds along fish storage might allow the identification of early-stage markers of fish alteration. In this context, to provide relevant information for the identification of volatile markers of non-processed packaged fish quality evolution during its storage, the following items have been successively reviewed: (1) inner atmosphere gaseous composition and evolution as a function of fish packaging systems; (2) fish constituents degradation pathways and analytical methods to monitor fish degradation with a focus on volatilome analysis; and (3) the effect of different factors affecting fish preservation (temperature, inner atmosphere composition, application of hurdle technology) on volatilome composition.

Effect of lipid oxidation on quality attributes and control technologies in dried aquatic animal products: a critical review

Aquatic animals are viewed as a good source of healthy lipids. Although drying is an effective method for the preservation of aquatic animal products (AAPs), the whole process is accompanied by lipid oxidation. This article reviews the main mechanism of lipid oxidation in the drying process. It also summarizes the effects of lipid oxidation on the quality of dried aquatic animal products (DAAPs), including nutrients, color, flavor, and hazard components, especially for those harmful aldehydes and heterocyclic amines. In addition, it concluded that moderate lipid oxidation contributes to improving the quality of products. Still, excessive lipid oxidation produces hazardous substances and induces health risks. Hence, to obtain high-quality DAAPs, some effective control technologies to promote/prevent lipid oxidation are introduced and deeply discussed, including salting, high-pressure processing, irradiation, non-thermal plasma technology, defatting treatments, antioxidants, and edible coating. A systematic review of the effect of lipid oxidation on quality attributes and control technologies in DAAPs is presented, and some perspectives are made for future research.

A Comprehensive Review on Significance and Advancements of Antimicrobial Agents in Biodegradable Food Packaging

Food waste is key global problem and more than 90% of the leftover waste produced by food packaging factories is dumped in landfills. Foods packaged using eco-friendly materials have a longer shelf life as a result of the increased need for high-quality and secure packaging materials. For packaging purposes, natural foundation materials are required, as well as active substances that can prolong the freshness of the food items. Antimicrobial packaging is one such advancement in the area of active packaging. Biodegradable packaging is a basic form of packaging that will naturally degrade and disintegrate in due course of time. A developing trend in the active and smart food packaging sector is the use of natural antioxidant chemicals and inorganic nanoparticles (NPs). The potential for active food packaging applications has been highlighted by the incorporation of these materials, such as polysaccharides and proteins, in biobased and degradable matrices, because of their stronger antibacterial and antioxidant properties, UV-light obstruction, water vapor permeability, oxygen scavenging, and low environmental impact. The present review highlights the use of antimicrobial agents and nanoparticles in food packaging, which helps to prevent undesirable changes in the food, such as off flavors, colour changes, or the occurrence of any foodborne outcomes. This review attempts to cover the most recent advancements in antimicrobial packaging, whether edible or not, employing both conventional and novel polymers as support, with a focus on natural and biodegradable ingredients.

Recent advances on characterization of protein oxidation in aquatic products: A comprehensive review

In addition to microbial spoilage and lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation is increasingly recognized as a major cause for quality deterioration of muscle-based foods. Although protein oxidation in muscle-based foods has attracted tremendous interest in the past decade, specific oxidative pathways and underlying mechanisms of protein oxidation in aquatic products remain largely unexplored. The present review covers the aspects of the origin and site-specific nature of protein oxidation, progress on the characterization of protein oxidation, oxidized proteins in aquatic products, and impact of protein oxidation on protein functionalities. Compared to meat protein oxidation, aquatic proteins demonstrate a less extent of oxidation on aromatic amino acids and are more susceptible to be indirectly oxidized by lipid peroxidation products. Different from traditional measurement of protein carbonyls and thiols, proteomics-based strategy better characterizes the targeted oxidation sites within proteins. The future trends using more robust and accurate targeted proteomics, such as parallel reaction monitoring strategy, to characterize protein oxidation in aquatic products are also given.

Active and Intelligent Packaging for Enhancing Modified Atmospheres and Monitoring Quality and Shelf Life of Packed Gilthead Seabream Fillets at Isothermal and Variable Temperature Conditions

The study investigated the effect of active modified atmosphere packaging (20% CO2–60% N2–20% O2) with CO2 emitters (MAP-PAD) and conventional MAP (MAP) on the quality and shelf-life of gilthead seabream fillets during chill storage, while the most appropriate enzymatic Time Temperature Integrators (TTI) were selected for monitoring their shelf-life at isothermal and variable temperature storage conditions (Teff = 4.8 °C). The concentration of CO2 and O2 in the headspace of the package, volatile compounds and of the microbial population were monitored during storage. The kinetic parameters for bacterial growth were estimated at 0–10 °C using the Baranyi growth model. The MAP-PAD samples presented significantly lower microbial growth rates and longer lag phases compared to the MAP samples, leading to significant shelf-life extension: 2 days of extension at 2.5 °C and 5 °C, while 50% extension at variable conditions (Teff = 4.8 °C). CO2 emitters in the package improved the chemical freshness (K-values) and volatile compounds (characterizing freshness). The responses of different enzymatic TTI were modeled as the function of enzyme concentration, temperature and storage time. The activation energy (Ea) ranged from 97 to 148 kJ mol−1, allowing the selection of appropriate TTIs for the shelf-life monitoring of each fish product: LP-150U for the MAP and M-25U for the MAP-PAD samples. The validation experiment at Teff = 4.8 °C confirmed the applicability of Arrhenius-type models, as well as the use of TTIs as effective chill chain management tools during distribution and storage.

Application of soluble gas stabilization technology on ready-to-eat pre-rigor filleted Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

Abstract

The demand for high‐quality, convenient, and sustainable salmon products represents a potential for value‐added product development and novel packaging solutions. Soluble gas stabilization (SGS) technology, which applies dissolved CO₂ in the product before packaging, represents a novel approach to retain product quality and prevent microbiological deterioration during cold storage of pre‐rigor filleted salmon loins.

The present study aimed to examine the solubility of CO₂ in salmon loins as affected by rigor status. In addition, the effect of predissolved CO₂ on the overall quality of pre‐rigor vacuum‐packed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) was investigated during storage at 4°C. The CO₂ pretreatment was conducted, exposing loins to 100% CO₂ for 18 h at 4°C (the control group was kept in air at 4°C) before repackaging and storage for 15 days.

Dissolved CO₂ in the muscle (equilibrium achieved four days post packaging) was slightly higher in pre‐rigor than post‐rigor salmon loins (p_equilibrium = 0.006). Moreover, the overall spoilage (Hvalue) and microbiological stability of salmon fillets stored in SGS‐vacuum were significantly improved compared to vacuum‐packed loins (p < 0.05).

The results demonstrate that SGS technology can maintain the overall quality of pre‐rigor vacuum‐packed salmon loins without introducing the high gas‐to‐product volume ratio recognized by modified atmosphere packaging. Thus, the application of SGS technology on pre‐rigor loins can lead to higher economic gain and environmental benefits due to the reduced amount of required packaging material and reduced food waste.

Practical Application

CO₂ can be dissolved in pre‐rigor salmon loins before vacuum packaging to increase product shelf life during cold storage.

Analysis of Alternative Shelf Life-Extending Protocols and Their Effect on the Preservation of Seafood Products

Seafood is essential to a healthy and varied diet due to its highly nutritious characteristics. However, seafood products are highly perishable, which results in financial losses and quality concerns for consumers and the industry. Due to changes in consumer concerns, demand for healthy products has increased. New trends focusing on reducing synthetic preservatives require innovation and the application of additional or alternative strategies to extend the shelf life of this type of product. Currently, refrigeration and freezing storage are the most common methods for fish preservation. However, refrigeration alone cannot provide long shelf-life periods for fish, and freezing worsens sensorial characteristics and consumer interest. Therefore, the need to preserve seafood for long periods without exposing it to freezing temperatures exists. This review focuses on the application of other approaches to seafood products, such as biodegradable films and coating technology; superchilling; irradiation; high-pressure processing; hyperbaric storage; and biopreservation with lactic acid bacteria, bacteriocins, or bacteriophages. The efficiency of these techniques is discussed based on their impact on microbiological quality, sensorial degradation, and overall preservation of the product’s nutritional properties. Although these techniques are already known, their use in the industrial processing of seafood is not widespread. Thus, the novelty of this review is the aggregation of recent studies on shelf life extension approaches, which provide useful information for the selection of the most appropriate technology and procedures and industrial innovation. Despite the fact that all techniques inhibit or delay bacterial proliferation and product decay, an undesirable sensory impact may occur depending on the treatment conditions. Although no technique appears to replace refrigeration, the implementation of additional treatments in the seafood processing operation could reduce the need for freezing, extending the shelf life of fresh unfrozen products.

Antibacterial Effect of Oregano Essential Oil against Vibrio vulnificus and Its Mechanism

Oregano essential oil (OEO) is an effective natural antibacterial agent, but its antibacterial activity against Vibrio vulnificus has not been widely studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect and germicidal activity of OEO on V. vulnificus and its possible inhibition mechanism. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of OEO against four V. vulnificus strains (ATCC 27562 and three isolates from seafoods) were from 0.06 to 0.15 μL/mL. Compared with untreated bacteria, OEO reduced the concentration of intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP), hyperpolarized the cell membrane, increased the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and increased the concentration of intracellular malondialdehyde (MDA), but there was no obvious DNA damage at the OEO test concentration. It was indicated that OEO inactivated V. vulnificus by generating ROS which caused lipid peroxidation of cell membranes, thereby reducing the permeability and integrity of cell membranes and causing morphological changes to cells, but there was no obvious damage to DNA. In addition, OEO could effectively kill V. vulnificus in oysters at 25 °C, and the number of bacteria decreased by 48.2% after 0.09% OEO treatment for 10 h. The good inhibitory effect and bactericidal activity of OEO showed in this study, and the economy and security of OEO make it possible to apply OEO to control V. vulnificus contamination in oysters and other seafoods.

Mild processing of seafood-A review

Recent years have shown a tremendous increase in consumer demands for healthy, natural, high-quality convenience foods, especially within the fish and seafood sector. Traditional processing technologies such as drying or extensive heating can cause deterioration of nutrients and sensory quality uncompilable with these demands. This has led to development of many novel processing technologies, which include several mild technologies. The present review highlights the potential of mild thermal, and nonthermal physical, and chemical technologies, either used alone or in combination, to obtain safe seafood products with good shelf life and preference among consumers. Moreover, applications and limitations are discussed to provide a clear view of the potential for future development and applications. Some of the reviewed technologies, or combinations thereof, have shown great potential for non-seafood products, yet data are missing for fish and seafood in general. The present paper visualizes these knowledge gaps and the potential for new technology developments in the seafood sector. Among identified gaps, the combination of mild heating (e.g., sous vide or microwave) with more novel technologies such as pulsed electric field, pulsed light, soluble gas stabilization, cold plasma, or Ohmic heat must be highlighted. However, before industrial applications are available, more research is needed.

Effect of the Manufacturing Process on the Microbiota, Organoleptic Properties and Volatilome of Three Salmon-Based Products

Lightly preserved seafood products, such as cold-smoked fish and fish gravlax, are traditionally consumed in Europe and are of considerable economic importance. This work aimed to compare three products that were obtained from the same batch of fish: cold-smoked salmon (CSS) stored under vacuum packaging (VP) or a modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and VP salmon dill gravlax (SG). Classical microbiological analyses and 16S rRNA metabarcoding, biochemical analyses (trimethylamine, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), biogenic amines, pH, volatile organic compounds (VOCs)) and sensory analyses (quantitative descriptive analysis) were performed on each product throughout their storage at a chilled temperature. The three products shared the same initial microbiota, which were mainly dominated by Photobacterium, Lactococcus and Lactobacillus genera. On day 28, the VP CSS ecosystem was mainly composed of Photobacterium and, to a lesser extent, Lactococcus and Lactobacillus genera, while Lactobacillus was dominant in the MAP CSS. The diversity was higher in the SG, which was mainly dominated by Enterobacteriaceae, Photobacterium, Lactobacillus and Lactococcus. Although the sensory spoilage was generally weak, gravlax was the most perishable product (slight increase in amine and acidic off-odors and flavors, fatty appearance, slight discoloration and drop in firmness), followed by the VP CSS, while the MAP CSS did not spoil. Spoilage was associated with an increase in the TVBN, biogenic amines and spoilage associated VOCs, such as decanal, nonanal, hexadecanal, benzaldehyde, benzeneacetaldehyde, ethanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2,3-butanediol, 1-octen-3-ol, 2-butanone and 1-octen-3-one. This study showed that the processing and packaging conditions both had an effect on the microbial composition and the quality of the final product.

Effects of super-chilling storage on shelf-life and quality indicators of Coregonus peled based on proteomics analysis

The advantages of super-chilling storage at -2 °C for maintaining the quality of Coregonus peled muscle were investigated using the rigor-mortis index (RM), ATP-related compounds, K-value, muscle hardness, impedance measurement, and total viable count. The results indicated that the softening of fish muscle and increase in K-value were substantially suppressed following storage at -2 °C compared to that at 0 °C. In particular, the hardness of fish muscle stored for 6 days at -2 °C was much higher than that of the samples stored for 2 days at 0 °C. The K-value increased to 81% after 6 days at 0 °C, while increased to 57% at -2 °C. The impedance changed in a biphasic manner throughout the storage period. The initial increase accompanied by the progression of RM was followed by a gradual decrease. However, this decrease was much slower at -2 °C than 0 °C. Furthermore, proteomics analysis demonstrated that the mechanism of fish freshness changes between the two storage temperatures. Differentially abundant proteins between the samples stored at two temperatures were mainly involved in the cellular component and molecular function (GO pathway) as well as collagen digestion (KEGG pathway), which might be related to muscle textural properties. Therefore, super-chilling storage is a possible method for maintaining the freshness of Coregonus peled.

High pressure processing combined with selected hurdles: Enhancement in the inactivation of vegetative microorganisms

High pressure processing (HPP) as a nonthermal processing (NTP) technology can ensure microbial safety to some extent without compromising food quality. However, for vegetative microorganisms, the existence of pressure-resistant subpopulations, the revival of sublethal injury (SLI) state cells, and the resuscitation of viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state cells may constitute potential food safety risks and pose challenges for the further development of HPP application. HPP combined with selected hurdles, such as moderately elevated or low temperature, low pH, natural antimicrobials (bacteriocin, lactate, reuterin, endolysin, lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase system, chitosan, essential oils), or other NTP (CO₂ , UV-TiO₂ photocatalysis, ultrasound, pulsed electric field, ultrafiltration), have been highlighted as feasible alternatives to enhance microbial inactivation (synergistic or additive effect). These combinations can effectively eliminate the pressure-resistant subpopulation, reduce the population of SLI or VBNC state cells and inhibit their revival or resuscitation. This review provides an updated overview of the microbial inactivation by the combination of HPP and selected hurdles and restructures the possible inactivation mechanisms.

Effects of Vacuum and Modified Atmosphere Packaging on the Quality and Shelf-Life of Gray Triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) Fillets

Seafood products are perceived as healthy foods. However, several species of seafood are still not fully utilized for different reasons or can be valued outside the original locale, if issues with the short shelf-life and/or the preparation/presentation form are overcome, e.g., gray triggerfish, Balistes capriscus. Consumed mostly fresh, its flesh is of excellent quality. We studied the effect of different types of packaging (in air (AIR), vacuum (VP), and modified atmosphere (MAP)) on physicochemical (color and texture, pH, and total volatile basic nitrogen), microbiological (total viable count, psychrotrophic, sulphide-reducing bacteria, and acid-lactic bacteria), and sensory qualities, and shelf-life of gray triggerfish fillets stored at refrigeration temperature for 15 days. The samples were analyzed on days 0 (fresh fish), 5, 10 (8 and 12 for sensory analysis), and 15 after filleting and packaging. During the trial, fillets became lighter (increased L*) and yellower (b* >> 0) with time of storage. Distinct patterns were observed for pH among treatments. Unexpectedly, the increasing trend observed in the texturometer-derived hardness of VP and MAP fillets, contrasted with the sensory assessment, wherein panelists perceived a clear softening of fillets. VP delayed and MAP inhibited the increase in TVB-N contents of fillets compared to fillets packed in AIR. Total viable count and psychrothropic bacteria of fillets in AIR exceeded the conventional limit of 7 log(CFU/g) on day 10, while in fillets packed in VP and MAP, their abundance remained below that limit during the trial. The organoleptic attributes of fillets perceived by a sensory panel changed significantly in all treatments during the storage trial. Willingness to consume the fillets decreased constantly in AIR and MAP, but not in VP fillets. Considering primarily sensory, but also biochemical and microbiological parameters, namely panelists’ rejection, total volatile basic nitrogen content, and total viable count and psychrotrophic bacteria abundance, the shelf-life of fillets packed in air was eight days. Vacuum and modified atmosphere packaging extended the shelf-life to 15 and 12 days, and thus can add value to this product. Future research regarding the VP and MAP of gray triggerfish fillets could involve the optimization of mixtures of gases use and/or the application of combined processes.

Shelf life extension of aquatic products by applying nanotechnology: a review

Aquatic products are extremely perishable due to their biological composition. Conventional preservation methods such as freezing, chemical treatments, packaging, and so forth are unable to inhibit enzymatic and microbiological spoilage efficiently and/or energy intensive and/or potentially toxic. However, the demand of consumers for aquatic products with long shelf life and high quality has urged the food industries to pursuit highly effective preservation methods for shelf life extension of aquatic products. Nanotechnology-related shelf life prolongation process possess the ability to overcome the drawbacks of conventional preservation technologies due to its unique properties. In this article, the aquatic products spoilage mechanisms, recent application of nanotechnology-related preservation techniques for aquatic products as well as the risk and regulation of nanomaterials have been reviewed. It has been shown that nanotechnology-related preservation techniques can effectively extend the shelf life without impairing the quality of aquatic products. However, the safety of nanotechnology is still remained controversial, therefore, the application of nanotechnology should be considered cautiously.