title: Extension of the shelf life of prawns (Penaeus japonicus) by vacuum packaging and high-pressure treatment.
abstract: The present study has investigated the application of high pressures (200 and 400 MPa) in chilled prawn tails, both conventionally stored (air) and vacuum packaged. Vacuum packaging and high-pressure treatment did extend the shelf life of the prawn samples, although it did affect muscle color very slightly, giving it a whiter appearance. The viable shelf life of 1 week for the air-stored samples was extended to 21 days in the vacuum-packed samples, 28 days in the samples treated at 200 MPa, and 35 days in the samples pressurized at 400 MPa. Vacuum packaging checked the onset of blackening, whereas high-pressure treatment aggravated the problem. From a microbiological point of view, batches conventionally stored reached about 6 log CFU/g or even higher at 14 days. Similar figures were reached in total number of bacteria in vacuum-packed samples and in pressurized at 200-MPa samples at 21 days. When samples were pressurized at 400 MPa, total numbers of bacteria were below 5.5 log CFU/g at 35 days of storage. Consequently, a combination of vacuum packaging and high-pressure treatment would appear to be beneficial in prolonging freshness and preventing spotting.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología de Carnes y Pescados, Instituto del Frío (CSIC), Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: López-Caballero
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pérez-Mateos
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Borderías
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Montero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D008548:Melanosis; D033561:Penaeidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D011312:Pressure; D012758:Shellfish / Q000382:microbiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014618:Vacuum