The influence of packaging methodology on the microbiological and fatty acid profiles of refrigerated African catfish fillets.
OBJECTIVE
The shelf-life of refrigerated catfish fillets was determined at 2 degrees C, to simulate retail conditions, using two types of packaging materials, vacuum packing (VP) and oxygen permeable packaging (OPP).


RESULTS
Representative samples (n=5) from both types of packaging methods were drawn at random every 2 d until a microbiological count of 106 cfu g-1 was reached. Samples were pooled and screened microbiologically using standard methods. Fatty acid analyses of total lipids, neutral lipid, glycolipid and phospholipid fractions were also conducted, to determine at which point the fish was regarded as spoiled and which packaging method provided a longer shelf-life. OPP limits storage to a maximum of 4 d (aerobic plate count of 8.2 x 105 cfu g-1), whereas VP extends the shelf-life of the fillets to between 6 and 8 d (aerobic plate count of 9.2 x 104 cfu g-1 and 1.66 x 106 cfu g-1, respectively). Similarly, coliform counts increased with time; however, packaging material had no statistical influence thereon.


CONCLUSIONS
Until d 13, when the experiment was terminated, no deterioration in lipid composition of the various fractions was noted.


CONCLUSIONS
An extended shelf-life microbiologically-speaking, for potential processors, could thus be obtained by using VP instead of OPP.
Anelich
L E
LE
Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Technikon Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa. Lucia@techpta.ac.za
Hoffman
L C
LC
Swanepoel
M J
MJ
D000818:Animals; D002397:Catfishes; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005396:Fish Products / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology*; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods*
D005227:Fatty Acids