Freshness and quality of aquacultured sea bass (Dicentrarchus iabrax) and sea bream (Sparus aurata) stored in ice

Abstract

The microbiological, chemical and sensory properties of aquacultured sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and sea bream (Sparus aurata) stored in ice at +2 degrees C were studied. The psychrotrophic, total mesophilic and H,S producing bacteria counts increased throughout the storage period of sea bass and sea bream. After 13 days, the psychrotrophic, mesophilic and H2S producing bacteria counts of sea bass and sea bream reached 7.34 log cfu/g and 6.10 log cfu/g, 6.61 log cfu/g and 6.66 log cfu/g and 6.56 log cfu/g and 6.65 log cfu/g, respectively At the end of the storage period of 13 days, pH,TVB-N and TMA-N values of sea bass were determined as 6.64,14.14 mg/100 g and 3.94 mg/100 g, respectively, The pH, TVB-N and TMA-N values of sea bream reached 6.63, 17.39 mg/100 g and 1.47 mg/100 g on day 13. The results of this study indicate that the shelf life of sea bass stored in ice as determined by overall acceptability sensory scores and microbiological analysis is 10 and 11 days, respectively. All sensory and microbiological results for sea bream showed that there was a correlation and a similarity and day 11 was considered the beginning of spoilage. Chemical parameters were determined not to be a good indicator for fish freshness and quality.