Application of Quality Index Method (QIM) Scheme and Effects of Short-Time Temperature Abuse in Shelf Life Study of Fresh Water Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus)

Fish Quality Index Method: Principles, weaknesses, validation, and alternatives-A review

Fish is a high nutritional value matrix of which production and consumption have been increasing in the last years. Advancements in the efficient evaluation of freshness are essential to optimize the quality assessment, to improve consumer safety, and to reduce raw material losses. Therefore, it is necessary to use rapid, nondestructive, and objective methodologies to evaluate the quality of this matrix. Quality Index Method (QIM) is a tool applied to indicate fish freshness through a sensory evaluation performed by a group of assessors. However, the use of QIM as an official method for quality assessment is limited by the protocol, sampling size, specificities of the species, storage conditions, and assessor's experience, which make this method subjective. Also, QIM may present divergences regarding the development of microorganisms and chemical analysis. In this way, novel quality evaluation methods such as electronic noses, electronic tongues, machine vision system, and colorimetric sensors have been proposed, and novel technologies such as proteomics and mitochondrial analysis have been developed. In this review, the weaknesses of QIM were exposed, and novel methodologies for quality evaluation were presented. The consolidation of these novel methodologies and their use as methods of quality assessment are an alternative to sensory methods, and their understanding enables a more effective fish quality control.

Kinetics of Quality Changes ofPangasiusFillets at Stable and Dynamic Temperatures, Simulating Downstream Cold Chain Conditions

This study was about the quality changes ofPangasiusfillets during storage under simulated temperature conditions of downstream cold chain. Sensory, chemical, and microbiological analyses were conducted over storage time and bacterial growth was modelled. Sensory quality index (QI), at five stable (1, 4, 9, 15, and 19 ± 1°C) and three dynamic temperatures, progressed faster at higher temperatures, especially with sooner temperature abuses. Total volatile basic nitrogen remained under the acceptable limit throughout all the storage conditions. Total viable psychrotrophic counts (TVC) were around 5.68 ± 0.24 log CFU g−1at the beginning and exceeded the limit of 6 log CFU g−1after 216, 96, 36, 16, and 7 h at 1, 4, 9, 15, and 19 ± 1°C, respectively. Meanwhile,Pseudomonascounts started at 3.81 ± 0.53 log CFU g−1and reached 4.60–6.36 log CFU g−1by the time of TVC rejection. Since lower shelf lives were given by TVC rather than QI, it should be appropriate to base the product shelf life on the TVC acceptable limit. Kinetics models based on the Baranyi and Roberts and square root models, developed for TVC andPseudomonasspp., gave acceptable bacterial estimations at dynamic temperatures, with over 80% of observed counts within the acceptable simulation zone, revealing promising model applicability as a supporting tool for cold chain management. However, further improvement and validation of the models are needed.

Evaluation on home storage performance of table grape based on sensory quality and consumers' satisfaction

With continuous rise of table grapes consumption and increased public awareness of food safety, the quality control of grapes in storage after purchase is not sufficiently examined. Home storage constitutes the last and important stage in grape supply chain. Literature review shows that few researches on grape quality focus on the home storage stage compared with numerous researches reported on the quality control during postharvest and transportation process. This paper reports the performance evaluation of grape quality at home storage and consumers' satisfaction using integrated sensory evaluations. The internal attributes, including Texture, Taste and Odor of the table grapes and the appearance indices, Color and Cleanliness are examined. Key results show that during home storage, all the internal attributes decrease rapidly as time goes on, and cleanliness and color appear to be deteriorating in a lower speed. A comprehensive quality index was created to measure the quality of table grape which has high correlation with the Overall acceptability perceived by consumers.

Quality perceptions of stakeholders in Beninese export-oriented shrimp chain

In recent years, the Beninese shrimp sector has faced a ban on export to the European Union due to lack of compliance with food safety standards. The present study aimed at obtaining insight into the factors that determine shrimp quality and safety in Benin. A survey was conducted to investigate the relationships between stakeholders, the conditions under which shrimps are handled at fishing areas and processed at shrimp plants, and the stakeholders' perceptions of quality. A total of 325 fishermen, 128 intermediate traders, 12 collectors, and 3 shrimp processing plant managers were interviewed face to face. The results showed that various specific relations existed between the stakeholders. For example, loyalty was ensured by family relationships, or incentives were provided to ensure a supply of shrimps between stakeholders. Shrimp handling practices during the steps prior to shrimp processing at the plants were not in agreement with the requirements of the European regulations. For example, shrimps were kept at ambient temperature (28 ± 1°C) by 94.1% of fishermen and 60.9% of intermediate traders. Shrimps were also stored in inappropriate holding containers and washed with nonpotable water. Fishermen, intermediate traders, and collectors considered shrimp size and texture their priority quality attributes, whereas plant managers considered shrimp appearance (freshness) and texture their priority quality attributes. This survey demonstrated that the steps prior to shrimp processing at the plants are the critical steps for shrimp quality and safety because of temperature abuse and inappropriate hygienic conditions. There is a need to communicate and provide incentives for the stakeholders in the first part of the chain to give priority to shrimp freshness. Moreover, training in Good Fishing Practices and safe food handling practices and evaluation of compliance with the practices through monitoring will contribute to better shrimp quality and safety management.

Shelf life of air and modified atmosphere-packaged fresh tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fillets stored under chilled and superchilled conditions

Optimal packaging and storage conditions for fresh tilapia fillets were established by evaluating sensory and microbiological changes, as well as monitoring physicochemical properties. Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) farmed in recirculation aquaculture system was filleted, deskinned, and packaged in air and 50% CO2/50% N2 prior to chilling and superchilling storage at 1°C and -1°C. Sensory analysis of cooked samples revealed a shelf life of 13-15 days for air-packaged fillets during storage at 1°C and 20 days at -1°C. At the end of shelf life in air-packaged fillets, total viable counts (TVC) and pseudomonads counts reached log 8 colony-forming units (CFU) g(-1). In 50% CO2/50% N2-packaged fillets, the lag phase and generation time of bacteria were extended and recorded counts were below the limit for consumption ( Collapse

Key Words

• Air packaged
• modified atmosphere
• shelf life
• superchilling
• tilapia fillets

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Affiliation(s)

Odoli Cyprian Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research InstituteMombasa, Kenya Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of IcelandSæmundargötu 2, Reykjavík, Iceland
Hélène L Lauzon Matís ohf./Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D Vínlandsleið 12Reykjavik, Iceland
Ragnar Jóhannsson Matís ohf./Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D Vínlandsleið 12Reykjavik, Iceland
Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir Matís ohf./Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D Vínlandsleið 12Reykjavik, Iceland
Sigurjón Arason Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of IcelandSæmundargötu 2, Reykjavík, Iceland Matís ohf./Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D Vínlandsleið 12Reykjavik, Iceland
Emilía Martinsdóttir Matís ohf./Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D Vínlandsleið 12Reykjavik, Iceland

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Development of Quality Index Method for anchovy (Engraulis anchoita) stored in ice: Assessment of its shelf-life by chemical and sensory methods

The objective of this study was to develop a quality index method for Engraulis anchoita stored in ice and to determine its shelf-life based on this quality index method and chemical indices such as total volatile bases and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances. Besides, the chemical composition with emphasis on the polyunsaturated fatty acids content was determined. The results indicate that E. anchoita is a valuable protein source and lipid with important content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The developed quality index method scheme was composed of 28 demerit points, divided into 4 parameters and 10 attributes. All attributes showed correlation with time of storage ( R > 0.90). The quality index (QI) presented a linear relationship with storage (QI = 2.55 x days in ice + 1.76; R2 = 0.98). In the shelf-life assessment-based quality index method, the rejection sensory point was observed after 7 days of storage due to the presence of unpleasant odours and deteriorated appearance. The total volatile basic nitrogen value remained below the upper limit of acceptability during the 10 days of ice storage. The evolution of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances indicates lipids oxidation during the storage of anchovies. According to the results, the quality index method scheme developed for the E. anchoita stored in ice could be considered adequate to evaluate their freshness and to estimate its shelf-life.