Sensory, Chemical, and Microbiological Attributes of Sea Bream (Sparus Aurata): Effect of Washing and Ice Storage

Figures & data

Table 1 EU fish sensory scheme

Criteria	Extra Category	A Category	B Category	C Category (Not admitted)
Skin	Bright, iridescent pigment or opalescent; no discoloration	Pigmentation bright but not lustrous	Pigmentation in theprocess of becoming discolored and dull	Dull pigmentation
Skin mucus	Aqueous, transparent	Slightly cloudy	Milky	Yellowish grey, opaque mucus
Eye	Convex (bulging); black, bright pupil; transparent cornea	Convex and slightly sunken; black dull pupil; slightly opalescent cornea	Flat; opalescent cornea; opaque pupil	Concave in the centre; grey pupil; milky cornea
Gills	Bright color; no mucus	Less colored; transparent mucus	Brown/grey becoming discolored; thick, opaque mucus	Yellowish; milky mucus
Peritoneum (in gutted fish)	Smooth; bright; difficult to detach from flesh	Slightly dull; can be detached from flesh	Speckled; comes away easily from flesh	Does not stick
Smell of gills andabdominal cavity	Sea weedy	No smell of seaweed; neutral smell	Fermented; slightly sour	Sour
Flesh	Firm and elastic; smooth surface	Less elastic	Slightly soft (flaccid), less elastic; waxy and dull surface	Soft; scales easily detached from skin, surface rather wrinkled

Figure 1 Changes in EU score of aqua-cultured sea bream unwashed and washed with tap water.

Figure 2 Changes in cooked fish score of aqua-cultured sea bream unwashed and washed with tap water.

Figure 3 Changes in pH level of aqua-cultured sea bream unwashed and washed with tap water.

Figure 4 Changes in TVB-N level of aqua-cultured sea bream unwashed and washed with tap water.

Figure 5 Changes in TMA-N level of aqua-cultured sea bream unwashed and washed with tap water.

Table 2 Correlation coefficients between sensory score and microbial counts in whole and gutted sea bass

	AC	AW	BC	BW
Psychrotrophic bacteria	rs = 0.9062∗	rs = 0.9690∗	rs = 0.9334∗	rs = 0.9045∗
	rs = −0.9305∗∗	rs = −0.8844∗∗	rs = −0.9030∗∗	rs = −0.9121∗∗
Mesophilic bacteria	rs = 0.9917∗	rs = 0.9123∗	rs = 0.8940∗	rs = 0.9347∗
	rs = −0.8820∗∗	rs = −0.9361∗∗	rs = −0.8948∗∗	rs = −0.9494∗∗
H2S-producing bacteria	rs = 0.9055∗	rs = 0.9527∗	rs = 0.9188∗	rs = 0.8952∗
	rs = −0.9769∗∗	rs = −0.9437∗∗	rs = −0.9729∗∗	rs = −0.9335∗∗
∗Raw fish; ∗∗cooked fish.

Figure 6 Changes in mesophilic counts of aqua-cultured sea bream unwashed and washed with tap water.

Figure 7 Changes in psychrotrophic bacterial counts of aqua-cultured sea bream unwashed and washed with tap water.

Figure 8 Changes in H₂S- producing bacteria of aqua-cultured sea bream unwashed and washed with tap water.