Microencapsulated Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) Essential Oil Supplementation on Quality and Stability of Silver Catfish Fillets during Frozen Storage

ABSTRACT

There is growing interest for using essential oils (EOs) in fish feed as they can improve fish health, growth, and productive yield. But, there is little information concerning their effects on fish flesh quality and whether EO residues can be found in flesh. The EO of lemongrass was recently demonstrated to increase the productive yield of silver catfish. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of lemongrass EO supplementation on physico-chemical properties, sensory acceptance, and stability during frozen storage of fish fillets. Silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) were fed diets containing 0, 1, or 3 mL/kg of EO for 20 days. Fish were slaughtered, and fillets were stored at −20°C for 12 months and evaluated every 90 days. Dietary supplementation with EO did not affect proximate composition, fatty acid composition, or sensory acceptance of fish fillets. EO constituents (especially citral) were not detected in fish fillets. EO supplementation at 1 mL/kg appears to be more suitable to maintain physico-chemical changes similar to control during frozen storage. These data support the safety of lemongrass EO for use in aquaculture for human consumption purposes.

KEYWORDS:

• Rhamdia quelen
• citral
• lipid oxidation
• protein oxidation
• color

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Bio Natural Essenciais (Três Passos, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) and to Nexira (Rouen Cedex, France) for the donation of material for microencapsulation. The authors thank to Carlos Rubini Jr. for technical assistance in the fatty acid analysis.

Disclosure statement

B. Baldisserotto and B. M. Heinzmann are coauthors of a patent application for the preparation and use of C. flexuosus essential oil as a growth stimulant for fish. BR 102015020931. 

Author contributions

C. Rampelotto conducted the experiments, collected data, analyzed and interpreted the results and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. T. Emanuelli, B. Baldisserotto and L.P. da Silva guided the experimental design, provided founds and structure for experiment and helped in the interpretation of data and revising the manuscript. C.S. Speroni, L. Conte, D. Pianesso I.S. Machado, R.F. Rodrigues, N.M Minuzzi, T.J. Adorian, P. Mombach, B. Klein and R. Wagner collected test data and collaborated with the experimental management of fish. B.M. Heinzmann, C.R. de Menezes characterized the essential oil and microcapsules. All of the authors contributed to the interpretation and discussion of the results related to their part of the study and approved the final version of the paper.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Brazilian Funding Authority for Research and Projects (FINEP) under grant [CT-AGRO], by the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) under grants [552440/2011-6; 400653/2014-1; 307757/2015-3; 306449/2015-3; 303654/2017-1 and INCT-Adapta] and by Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) under grant [001].