Chitosan Extends the Shelf-life of Filleted Tilapia （Oreochromis niloticus） During Refrigerated Storage

• Published in: 中国海洋大学学报：英文版 2012, Vol.11 (3), p.408-412
• Main Author: CAO Rong LIU Qi YIN Bangzhong WU Biao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 吴郭鱼; 嗜水气单胞菌; 壳聚糖处理; 广谱抗菌活性; 延长保质期; 罗非鱼; 贮存; 金黄色葡萄球菌
• ISSN: 1672-5182; 1993-5021

Shelf-life extension of aquatic products is of significant economical importance. To determine the potential effect of chitosan on the shelf-life of filleted tilapia, this study analyzed the bacterial community diversity in fresh and spoiled tilapia fillets stored at （4 ± 1）℃ and examined the antimicrobial activity of chitosan against relevant bacteria isolates. Results showed that Pseudomonas （20%） and Aeromonas （16%） were abundant in fresh tilapia fillets, whereas Pseudomonas （52%）, Aeromonas （32%） and Staphylococcus （12%） were dominant in the spoiled samples. Chitosan showed wide-spectrum antibacterial activity against bacteria isolated from tilapia and 5.0 g L-1 chitosan was selected for application in preservation. We further determined the shelf-life of chitosan-treated, filleted tilapia stored at （4 ± 1）℃ based on microbiological, biochemical and sensory analyses. Results showed that the shelf-life of chitosan-treated, filleted tilapia was extended to 12 d, whereas that of untreated, control samples was 6 d. These indicate that chitosan, as a natural preservative, has great application potential in the shelf-life extension of tilapia fillets.