Application of Controlled Atmospheric Storage to Extending the Shelf Life to Whole Processed Fresh Fish

摘要

The objective of the study was to determine the feasibility of extending the shelf life of refrigerated fish through advanced storage technology. This included modification of the vacuum packaging concept and controlled atmospheric storage utilizing different mixtures of CO2, N2, and O2. Also the physical and microbiological qualities of freshwater smelt and herring fillets from Lake Superior at 1C were assessed, using pH, aerobic, anaerobic and psychrotrophic bacterial counts, racidity and sensory analyses as parameters of quality measurements. Within the limits of the study a very useful new approach to measure the hypoxanthine content of the stored product was identified and tested through the use of HPLC (high pressure liquid chromatography) techniques. This procedure has great potential as a possible measurement of the index of freshness of chill-stored fish.