Shelf-life extension of vacuum-packaged sea bream (Sparus aurata) fillets by combined γ-irradiation and refrigeration: microbiological, chemical and sensory changes

• Published in: Journal of the science of food and agriculture 2005-04, Vol.85 (5), p.779-784
• Main Authors: Chouliara, I, Savvaidis, I.N, Riganakos, K, Kontominas, M.G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: bacteria; bacterial contamination; Biological and medical sciences; cold storage; Dicentrarchus labrax; Enterobacteriaceae; fish fillets; flavor; food chemistry; food contamination; Food engineering; Food industries; food irradiation; food spoilage; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gamma radiation; General aspects; Handling, storage, packaging, transport; odors; off flavors; off odors; Pseudomonas; raw fish; refrigeration; sea bream; shelf life; Shewanella putrefaciens; Sparus aurata; vacuum packaging; γ-irradiation
• ISSN: 0022-5142; 1097-0010
• DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.2021

The combined effect of gamma-irradiation and refrigeration on the shelf-life of vacuum-packaged sea bream (Sparus aurata) fillets was studied by monitoring the microbiological, chemical and sensory changes of non-irradiated and irradiated fish samples using low-dose irradiation doses of 1 and 3 kGy. Fish species such as sea bream and sea bass are very popular in the Mediterranean countries due to their high quality characteristics, and their preservation is a constant challenge given their extreme perishability. Irradiation (3 kGy) dramatically reduced populations of bacteria, namely, total viable counts (3 vs 7 log cfu g(-1)) for the non-irradiated samples, Pseudomonas spp (