Comparative Evaluation on the Quality and Shelf life of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.) Filets Using Microwave and Conventional Pasteurization in Combination with Novel Packaging Methods

Preservation effects of photodynamic inactivation-mediated antibacterial film on storage quality of salmon fillets: Insights into protein quality

The preservation effects of a photodynamic inactivation (PDI)-mediated polylactic acid/5-aminolevulinic acid (PLA/ALA) film on the storage quality of salmon fillets were investigated. Results showed that the PDI-mediated PLA/ALA film could continuously generate reactive oxygen species by consuming oxygen to inactivate native pathogens and spoilage bacteria on salmon fillets. Meanwhile, the film maintained the content of muscle proteins and their secondary and tertiary structures, as well as the integrity of myosin by keeping the activity of Ca2+-ATPase, all of which protected the muscle proteins from degradation. Furthermore, the film retained the activity of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), suppressed the accumulation of lipid peroxides (e.g., MDA), which greatly inhibited four main types of protein oxidations. As a result, the content of flavor amino acids and essential amino acids in salmon fillets was preserved. Therefore, the PDI-mediated antimicrobial packaging film greatly preserves the storage quality of aquatic products by preserving the protein quality.

Applying innovative technological interventions in the preservation and packaging of fresh seafood products to minimize spoilage - A systematic review and meta-analysis

Seafood, being highly perishable, faces rapid deterioration in freshness, posing spoilage risks and potential health concerns without proper preservation. To combat this, various innovative preservation and packaging technologies have emerged. This review delves into these cutting-edge interventions designed to minimize spoilage and effectively prolong the shelf life of fresh seafood products. Techniques like High-Pressure Processing (HPP), Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), bio-preservation, and active and vacuum packaging have demonstrated the capability to extend the shelf life of seafood products by up to 50%. However, the efficacy of these technologies relies on factors such as the specific type of seafood product and the storage temperature. Hence, careful consideration of these factors is essential in choosing an appropriate preservation and packaging technology.

Studying the non-thermal effects of microwave on amino acids in sterilized rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fillets using a double side approximating method

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of microwave non-thermal effects on thermal sensitive amino acids in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fillets. To distinguish non-thermal effects from thermal effects occurring simultaneously, a Double Side Approximating Method (DSAM) derived from computational mathematics was developed. Two corresponding water bath treatments were designed for each microwave processing to approximate the time-temperature profiles at the hot and cold spots of the microwave processed samples while maintaining a comparable thermal intensity (F0). The microwave non-thermal effects on amino acids were determined by comparing the amount of each of 22 amino acids between the microwave processed and the two corresponding water bath treated rainbow trout fillets. The results indicated that the DSAM was successfully implemented, as the amino acid contents' order curve in the microwave processed samples was clearly exceeded the boundary formed by the two corresponding water bath treated samples. This finding confirmed the occurrence of microwave non-thermal effects on amino acids. The non-thermal effect resulted in a notable increase in the quantity of most amino acids, while it reduced the content of Lys and Hyp. Longer microwave processing times intensified these effects, while higher thermal processing intensities resulted in more damage to each amino acid.

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.

An Active Peptide-Based Packaging System to Improve the Freshness and Safety of Fish Products: A Case Study

Fresh fish are highly perishable, owing mainly to their moisture content, high amount of free amino acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Microorganisms and chemical reactions cause the spoilage, leading to loss in quality, human health risks and a market value reduction. Therefore, the fishing industry has always been willing to explore new technologies to increase quality and safety of fish products through a decrease of the microbiological and biochemical damage. In this context, antimicrobial active packaging is one such promising solution to meet consumer demands. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of an active polypropylene-based packaging functionalized with the antimicrobial peptide 1018K6 on microbial growth, physicochemical properties and the sensory attributes of raw salmon fillets. The results showed that application of 1018K6-polypropylene strongly inhibited the microbial growth of both pathogenic and specific spoilage organisms (SSOs) on fish fillets after 7 days. Moreover, salmon also kept its freshness as per volatile chemical spoilage indices (CSIs) during storage. Similar results were obtained on hamburgers of Sarda sarda performing the same analyses. This work provides further evidence that 1018K6-polymers have good potential as antimicrobial packaging for application in the food market to enhance quality and preserve the sensorial properties of fish products.

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.

Water holding properties of Atlantic salmon

With global seafood production increasing to feed the rising population, there is a need to produce fish and fishery products of high quality and freshness. Water holding properties, including drip loss (DL) and water holding capacity (WHC), are important parameters in determining fish quality as they affect functional properties of muscles such as juiciness and texture. This review focuses on the water holding properties of Atlantic salmon and evaluates the methods used to measure them. The pre- and postmortem factors and how processing and preservation methods influence water holding properties and their correlations to other quality parameters are reviewed. In addition, the possibility of using modelling is explained. Several methods are available to measure WHC. The most prevalent method is the centrifugation method, but other non-invasive and cost-effective approaches are increasingly preferred. The advantages and disadvantages of these methods and future trends are evaluated. Due to the diversity of methods, results from previous research are relative and cannot be directly compared unless the same method is used with the same conditions.

Monitoring Thermal and Non-Thermal Treatments during Processing of Muscle Foods: A Comprehensive Review of Recent Technological Advances

Muscle food products play a vital role in human nutrition due to their sensory quality and high nutritional value. One well-known challenge of such products is the high perishability and limited shelf life unless suitable preservation or processing techniques are applied. Thermal processing is one of the well-established treatments that has been most commonly used in order to prepare food and ensure its safety. However, the application of inappropriate or severe thermal treatments may lead to undesirable changes in the sensory and nutritional quality of heat-processed products, and especially so for foods that are sensitive to thermal treatments, such as fish and meat and their products. In recent years, novel thermal treatments (e.g., ohmic heating, microwave) and non-thermal processing (e.g., high pressure, cold plasma) have emerged and proved to cause less damage to the quality of treated products than do conventional techniques. Several traditional assessment approaches have been extensively applied in order to evaluate and monitor changes in quality resulting from the use of thermal and non-thermal processing methods. Recent advances, nonetheless, have shown tremendous potential of various emerging analytical methods. Among these, spectroscopic techniques have received considerable attention due to many favorable features compared to conventional analysis methods. This review paper will provide an updated overview of both processing (thermal and non-thermal) and analytical techniques (traditional methods and spectroscopic ones). The opportunities and limitations will be discussed and possible directions for future research studies and applications will be suggested.

Spectroscopic Techniques for Monitoring Thermal Treatments in Fish and Other Seafood: A Review of Recent Developments and Applications

Cooking is an important processing method, that has been used since ancient times in order to both ensure microbiological safety and give desired organoleptic properties to the cooked food. Fish and other seafood products are highly sensitive to thermal treatments and the application of severe heat can result in negative consequences on sensory and nutritional parameters, as well as other quality attributes of the thermally processed products. To avoid such undesired effects and to extend the shelf life of these perishable products, both the heat processing methods and the assessment techniques used to monitor the process should be optimized. In this review paper, the most common cooking methods and some innovative ones will first be presented with a brief discussion of their impact on seafood quality. The main methods used for monitoring heat treatments will then be reviewed with a special focus on spectroscopic techniques, which are known to be rapid and non-destructive methods compared to traditional approaches. Finally, viewpoints of the current challenges will be discussed and possible directions for future applications and research will be suggested. The literature presented in this review clearly demonstrates the potential of spectroscopic techniques, coupled with chemometric tools, for online monitoring of heat-induced changes resulting from the application of thermal treatments of seafood. The use of fluorescence hyperspectral imaging is especially promising, as the technique combines the merits of both fluorescence spectroscopy (high sensitivity and selectivity) and hyperspectral imaging (spatial dimension). With further research and investigation, the few current limitations of monitoring thermal treatments by spectroscopy can be addressed, thus enabling the use of spectroscopic techniques as a routine tool in the seafood industry.