Effect of Vacuum and Modified Atmosphere Packaging on the Shelf-life of Liquid-smoked Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) Slices

ABSTRACT: Swordfish fillets, dry-salted and treated with liquid smoke, were sliced and packed in vacuum conditions and under modified atmosphere (MA) (5% O₂,45% CO₂, 50% N₂) and stored at chilled temperature (4°C) to determine the effect of different packaging on shelf-life. Sensory attributes, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), pH, lipid oxidation by thiobarbituric acid test, and microbiological counts were monitored during 45 d of storage. The TVB-N increased to levels recommended by European regulation at the time of sensory rejection, resulting as the most reliable parameter of quality decay. Lipid oxidation was low and microbial counts could not be correlated with quality decay. Sensory rejection (at least 50% of the assessors scoring =5 in a scale from 1 to 9) was sooner for MA-packed samples (12d) than for vacuum-packed ones (42d).