Shelf Life of High Pressure Treated Indian White Prawn (Fenneropenaeus indicus) During Chilled Storage

Abstract

Indian white prawn (Fenneropenaeus indicus) was vacuum packed in ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) pouches and subjected to high pressure (HP) treatment of 250 MPa for 6 min at a ramp rate of 400 MPa min-1. Treated sample was stored in ice (2±1°C) along with untreated (control) sample to evaluate the changes in physicochemical parameters, mesophilic count and shelf life. Lightness (L* value) and yellowness (b*) value increased; whereas, redness decreased after pressure treatment. Significant increase of pH, hardness, FFA and TBA of prawn was noticed immediately after HP-treatment; however, TMA, TVB-N, K-value, relative activity of PPO and mesophilic count were reduced (p<0.05). During storage, hardness, pH, TMA, TVB-N, FFA, TBA values and mesophilic count increased; whereas, K-value and PPO were reduced in HP-treated sample (p<0.05). Tensile strength, elongation at break, oxygen transmission rate (OTR), carbon dioxide transmission rate (CO2-TR), water vapour transmission rate (WVTR), water extractives, nheptane of EVOH packing material have showed marginal changes after HP-treatment. Based on overall acceptability, control sample and HP-treated sample revealed a shelf life of 9 and 21 days, respectively during chilled storage.