Active and Intelligent Packaging for Enhancing Modified Atmospheres and Monitoring Quality and Shelf Life of Packed Gilthead Seabream Fillets at Isothermal and Variable Temperature Conditions.
Maria KatsouliIoanna SemenoglouManto KotsiriEleni GogouTheofania N TsironiPetros S TaoukisPublished in: Foods (Basel, Switzerland) (2022)
The study investigated the effect of active modified atmosphere packaging (20% CO 2 -60% N 2 -20% O 2 ) with CO 2 emitters (MAP-PAD) and conventional MAP (MAP) on the quality and shelf-life of gilthead seabream fillets during chill storage, while the most appropriate enzymatic Time Temperature Integrators (TTI) were selected for monitoring their shelf-life at isothermal and variable temperature storage conditions ( T eff = 4.8 °C). The concentration of CO 2 and O 2 in the headspace of the package, volatile compounds and of the microbial population were monitored during storage. The kinetic parameters for bacterial growth were estimated at 0-10 °C using the Baranyi growth model. The MAP-PAD samples presented significantly lower microbial growth rates and longer lag phases compared to the MAP samples, leading to significant shelf-life extension: 2 days of extension at 2.5 °C and 5 °C, while 50% extension at variable conditions ( T eff = 4.8 °C). CO 2 emitters in the package improved the chemical freshness (K-values) and volatile compounds (characterizing freshness). The responses of different enzymatic TTI were modeled as the function of enzyme concentration, temperature and storage time. The activation energy ( E a ) ranged from 97 to 148 kJ mol -1 , allowing the selection of appropriate TTIs for the shelf-life monitoring of each fish product: LP-150U for the MAP and M-25U for the MAP-PAD samples. The validation experiment at T eff = 4.8 °C confirmed the applicability of Arrhenius-type models, as well as the use of TTIs as effective chill chain management tools during distribution and storage.