Improved quality and shelf life of farmed trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) by whole processing in a combined ozonised flow ice refrigeration system

P>A combined refrigeration system consisting of ozone and flow ice was evaluated for the sacrifice, cooling and chilled storage of continental trout. The batch processed in ozonised flow ice exhibited significant (P < 0.05) reductions (0.97 and 1.51 log CFU cm(-2)) in skin aerobes and psychrotrophs on days 6 and 9, respectively, and significant (P < 0.05) reductions (0.94 log CFU g(-1) and 0.96 log CFU g(-1)) in aerobes, and proteolytic bacteria in muscle on day 13. A significant (P < 0.05) inhibition of TMA-N formation after 9 days was also observed, with an average reduction of 28.4% along the storage period, Slight reductions in autolytic breakdown mechanisms were also observed in the ozonised batch, a maximum reduction of 14.82% being reached on day 13. The microbial and biochemical changes were well correlated with the sensory evaluation, which revealed relevant differences between the batches on day 13 and a shelf life extension of the ozonised batch up to day 16.