Physicochemical Responses and Quality Changes of Turbot (Psetta maxima) During Refrigerated Storage

Abstract

The sensory, physicochemical, microbiological, and volatiles changes of postmortem turbot during 20 days of chilled storage at 4°C were studied. No significant changes were found in pH value and whiteness during the storage, while total viable counts, total volatile base nitrogen, and K-values increased significantly with storage time. The textures profile, springiness and resilience, and sensory attributes changed significantly during storage. A total of 50 volatile compounds including aldehydes, ketones, esters, alcohols, alkenes, alkanes, aromatics, amines, and others were identified in turbot muscle during storage by the solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry methods. Among these volatile components, the relative content of some decreased significantly with time, while others increased significantly. The results suggested that hardness, springiness, resilience, sensory attributes, total volatile base nitrogen, K-value, and total viable counts combined with some volatile compounds could more perfectly reflect the quality changes of turbot during storage. The study indicated that turbot fillets stored at 4°C maintain better quality for 16 days during storage.