Attenuation of Microbial Growth on Modified Atmosphere-Packaged Fish

Abstract

Four species of fish from Atlantic waters, Meronia americanus (perch), Cynoscion regalis (seatrout), Micropogon undulatis (croaker) and Pomatomus saltatrix (bluefish), were processed (gutted or filleted), packaged under carbon dioxide and refrigerated. Stability of the fish under the modified atmosphere preservation (MAP) system was compared to that of fish stored conventionally. Use of the MAP system resulted in a 45 to 55% increase in stability, primarily due to an extension in the lag phase of psychrotrophic organisms and to their reduced growth rate in the logarithmic phase. By the 10th day of storage, the conventionally packed fish always exhibited a 100-fold higher psychrotroph count than the CO2-packed fish. Levels of Vibrio parahaemolyticus were negligible in this MAP system and no Salmonella spp. or Staphylococcus aureus was detected, even at an abuse temperature (10°C) of storage. Positive evidence for preformed Clostridium botulinum toxin was lacking.

Aerobic Counts, Color and Adenine Nucleotide Changes in CO2 Packed Refrigerated Striped Bass Strips

“…Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) has been reported to increase shelf-life of muscle foods (Gray et al, 1983;Brody, 1989). Carbon dioxide selectively inhibited psychrotrophic, aerobic, and gram-negative bacteria (Lannelongue et al, 1982;Stenstrom, 1985).…”

Effect of Packaging Method on the Quality of Rainbow Trout and Baltic Herring Fillets

“…Woyewoda et al (6) concluded that the increase in shelf-life of cod was too minimal when compared to the increased costs of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Very high CO 2 concentrations cannot be used in fish packaging because of the development of excessive drip, and metallic and sour off-odours and off-flavours (7,8). On the other hand, according to Randell et al (8) and Cann et al (9,10), drip in fish packed in 40-60% CO 2 was smaller than or equal to vacuum-packed fish.…”

“…Gas packaging is an effective way to increase the shelf-life of many products. In many studies, gas packaging has increased the shelf-life of fish when compared to over-wrap packaging (2,3) or vacuum-skin packaging (4). However, gas packaging cannot be used for all fish species.…”

Growth/survival of Salmonella enteritidis on fresh poultry and fish stored under vacuum or modified atmosphere

“…enteritidis and stored in various atmospheres (under for Salmonella spp. have been reported for fish (Gray et al 1983), poultry (Gray et al 1984) andbeef (Nychas et al 1993). Indeed Nychas et al (1993) reported that a O"C, under vacuum, 50% C02/50% N2 and 100°/o CO, atmospheres, Salm.…”