Evaluation of a slurry ice system for the commercialization of ray ( Raja clavata): Effects on spoilage mechanisms directly affecting quality loss and shelf-life

• Published in: Food science & technology 2008-01, Vol.41 (6), p.974-981
• Main Authors: Múgica, Begoña, Barros-Velázquez, Jorge, Miranda, José M., Aubourg, Santiago P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: biochemical compounds; Biological and medical sciences; Chilled storage; Chondrichthyes; cold storage; Elasmobranch fish; Elasmobranchii; fish; food contamination; Food industries; food storage; freshness; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; ice; Marine; microbial contamination; microbiological quality; nonprotein nitrogen; off odors; protein degradation; Quality loss; Raja clavata; Ray; rigor mortis; seafoods; sensory evaluation; Shelf-life; slurries; Slurry ice; storage time
• ISSN: 0023-6438; 1096-1127
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2007.06.017

The application of slurry ice, a biphasic system formed by small spherical ice crystals surrounded by seawater at sub-zero temperature, was evaluated as a new storage method for ray ( Raja clavata), the elasmobranch fish species that exhibits highest commercial value in the European food markets. This advanced technique was used to compare with a control batch stored 10 days in flake ice. The results obtained in the sensory analysis indicated a significant extension of the overall quality (A class fish) from 3 days (flake ice) to 6 days (slurry ice). The development of ammonia external odour was the limiting parameter in both batches and was correlated with the activity of the endogenous mechanisms involved in the degradation of proteins and non-protein-nitrogen (NPN) rather than with the activity of proteolytic microorganisms. Storage of ray in slurry ice significantly ( P