Application of the curcumin-mediated photodynamic inactivation for preserving the storage quality of salmon contaminated with L. monocytogenes

The effect of curcumin-mediated blue light-emitting diode (LED) photodynamic inactivation (PDI) for preserving the quality of salmon contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes was investigated by microbiological, physical, chemical and histological methods during sample storage at 4 degrees C and 25 degrees C. The results showed that PDI decelerated the proliferation of L. monocytogenes on salmon during storage at 25 degrees C, with the maximum inhibition reaching 4.0 log(10) CFU/g (99.99%), compared to the negative control. Moreover, PDI greatly retarded the increase in pH (P < 0.05) and the production of TVB-N, retarded the accumulation of free fatty acids, and decelerated the degradation of proteins, ultimately preserving the high nutritional value of the salmon. In addition, PDI effectively prevented a change in colour and retarded the loss of water from the salmon, thereby conserving its texture and sensory properties. Therefore, PDI is a promising and valid non-thermal technology to use for fish preservation.

Automated summary

Curcumin-mediated blue light-emitting diode photodynamic inactivation showed to slow down Listeria monocytogenes growth on salmon stored at 25 degrees Celsius, preserving nutritional value, texture and sensory properties. This technology is a promising non-thermal method for fish preservation.