Use of Electrolyzed Oxidizing Water for Quality Improvement of Frozen Shrimp

The bactericidal effect of electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water was evaluated on Escherichia coli O157:H7‐inoculated and Salmonella‐inoculated shrimp. The shrimp were inoculated on day 0 and stored frozen at ‐20°C. Bacterial enumeration was done on days 0, 24, 49, and 119 of frozen storage. Acidic EO water at 40 ppm free available chlorine was as effective as aqueous chlorine of the same concentration and was significantly more effective (P < 0.05) than tap water in reducing pathogen load on the inoculated shrimp. Further reduction of pathogen numbers was observed after each frozen storage period. Prewashing with alkaline EO water did not enhance the bactericidal activity of the acidic EO water on the shrimp. The washed acidic EO water of the inoculated shrimp had a nondetectable bacterial population compared with treated aqueous chlorine, alkaline EO water, and tap water. Non‐inoculated shrimp subjected to similar treatments were served cooked or uncooked to a minimum of 10 experienced panelists for sensory evaluation on days 0, 24, 49, and 119 of frozen storage. The cooked shrimp were evaluated for the presence of off‐odor, juiciness, tenderness, shrimpy flavor, aftertaste, and overall acceptability; whereas the raw shrimp were evaluated for color, firmness, presence of off‐odors, melanosis, and overall acceptability. Raw shrimp thawed from each frozen storage period were stored at refrigeration temperature (4 °C) for 3 d to observe for melanosis. No difference of sensory attributes was detected among the various treatment groups. Therefore, acidic EO water can be used as an effective disinfectant to replace aqueous chlorine for thawing shrimp blocks.