Oxygen Scavenger Packaging for Seafood Preservation
Oxygen Scavenger Packaging for Seafood Preservation
Date
2020
Authors
Remya, S.
Mohan, C. O.
Ravishankar, C. N.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Society of Fisheries Technologists (India)
Abstract
Presence of oxygen inside the package leads to fast
degradation of quality of fish due to oxidative
deterioration and microbial spoilage. In active
packaging systems, the food, the package and the
environment surrounding the food interact to
preserve the quality and to extend the shelf life of
the packaged food. Oxygen (O2) scavengers, the
most commercially significant sub-group of active
packaging, are very effective in reducing the
residual levels of oxygen within the package to less
than 100 ppm, thereby retaining the original quality
and extending the storage life. Various studies have
shown that the use of O2 scavengers, also known as
O2 absorbers, have effectively controlled fat oxidation
and inhibited the growth of microorganisms,
which ultimately enhanced the storage life of fish.
It is also observed that O2 scavengers inhibited the
growth of aerobic bacteria such as Pseudomonas spp.
in fish stored in chilled environment and altered the
dominant bacterial flora from Gram-negative to
Gram-positive Brochothrix thermosphacta and Lactobacillus
spp. In addition to extension of shelf life of
fishes, the use of O2 scavenger also proves economically
beneficial for the seafood industry, since it is
a simple, cost-effective means of generating lowoxygen
atmosphere eliminating the cost of equipments.
Description
Keywords
O2 absorber, Fish preservation, Active packaging, Reduced oxygen packaging