The effect of high hydrostatic pressure on the microbiological, chemical and sensory quality of fresh gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata)

Abstract

The effect of different temperature/time/pressure high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment on quality and shelf life of sea bream were studied. Different high-pressure treatments (at 3, 7, 15 and 25 A degrees C, 5-10 min and 220, 250 and 330 MPa) were tested to establish the best processing conditions for quality of sea bream. The effect of the process on the quality of the sample was examined by colour, trimethylamine nitrogen and thiobarbituric acid number analysis. Based on the results of the parameter, the best combinations of HHP treatments were determined as 3 A degrees C/5 min/250 MPa-15 A degrees C/5 min/250 MPa for sea bream. The effects of this combination treatment on sensory, chemical and microbiological properties of sea bream stored at 4 A degrees C were studied. The results obtained from this study showed that the shelf life of untreated and HHP treated stored in refrigerator, as determined by overall acceptability of sensory and microbiological data, is 15 days for untreated sea bream and 18 days for treated sea bream at 3 A degrees C/5 min/250 MPa and at 15 A degrees C/5 min/250 MPa treated sea bream.