The Effects of Short-Time Temperature Abuse on the Microbial and Sensory Quality of Chilled Saithe (Pollachius virens) Fillets

Chilled fish products are highly perishable with a limited shelf life (10 to 14 d). For this reason, the control of the cold chain for fish is essential. This studys objective was to investigate the effects of short-time temperature abuse during processing on spoilage of chilled saithe (Pollachius virens) fillets. Analysis of microbial growth, freshness grades, and sensory score by Quality Index method, as well as pH, were carried out during a 10-d storage period at 2 +/- 2 degrees C. Before storage, the fillets were kept at 16 degrees C for 0, 1, and 2 h. The results showed that spoilage of the fillets was accelerated with longer holding time at 16 degrees C. The 1- and 2-h holding before packing and storage caused a 22% (2 d) and 44% (4 d) loss of shelf life, respectively, compared to fillets that were packed immediately after processing. These findings indicate how bottlenecks and delays during processing may result in loss of microbial and sensory quality of chilled fish products. Practical ApplicationThe observations show the importance of maintaining a low temperature in fish, even for a short period such as during processing. Any delays, such as due to buffering or mechanical failure, may accelerate spoilage of chilled products during subsequent storage. This effect is even more pronounced when products are packed in bulk volumes as the cooling rate is much slower than the piece-by-piece cooling rate.