A comprehensive multicriteria assessment of frozen and cold storage systems on quality of benthic or pelagic fish

Abstract

Efforts to improve food safety on a global scale have become a topic of focus in recent years. Different preservation techniques, including new technological methods, are constantly being developed to keep products at physically, nutritionally, and microbially consumable levels and to prevent losses. In this study, the deep-freezing technique, which is widely used in the food industry, was applied to four marine fish species with different habitats and fat content (whiting [Merlangius merlangus], sea bass [Dicentrarchus labrax], red mullet [Mullus barbatus], and anchovy [Engraulis encrasicolus]). The study aimed to determine the effects of three-month storage period (−20°C) on some quality parameters (water activity [aw], water holding capacity [WHC], myofibril fragmentation index [MFI], color [L∗, a∗ and b∗], total volatile base nitrogen [TVB-N], thiobarbituric acid reactive substance [TBARS], and pH) in fish and the interactions between the main effects. The experiment design included two-way ANOVA to evaluate the influence of species, storage time, and their interaction on each parameter. In line with the data obtained, significant differences were detected among the fish for all parameters except TVB-N. In terms of storage time, all parameters except a∗, TBARS, and fat were found to be statistically significant. All interactions between fish type and storage time, except fat and TVB-N, were found to be significant. Notably, benthic fish species exhibited higher WHC and lower lipid oxidation compared to pelagic species. Fatty fish such as anchovy and red mullet showed increased TBARS levels, indicating greater susceptibility to lipid oxidation. MFI values varied significantly among species and storage times, with sea bass showing the highest degree of myofibrillar fragmentation, suggesting enhanced tenderness. Correlation analysis revealed that WHC positively correlated with aw, L∗, and MFI and negatively with TVB-N. The research findings were planned to fill important gaps regarding the effect of freezing technology on fillet quality according to fish species. The findings obtained in the current research constituted a modeling study and created a useful data library for elucidating the mechanism by which fish species and habitat may affect fillet quality. These results contribute to the development of species-specific freezing strategies and provide practical insights for improving frozen seafood quality in the food industry. Moreover, these results provide a strong motivation to further investigate fish species and habitats with different processing technologies in terms of fillet quality in food industries.