Bacterial & sensory

changes in fish/prawn
during frozen storage

Sreejith.S
PHT-59
Frozen storage
Generally speaking – storing
frozen products at a temp. of
-200c or below.
Inorder to achieve a shelf life of
minimum 6 months

Bacterial changes
Temp. of substrate containing
mixed microbial population
lowered – extension of lag phase
of growth.
At 50c-mesophiles fail to grow
In practice no significant bacterial
activity below -50c
Low temperature
Disruptionof metabolic activities
Øaccumulation of useless & toxic
substances
ØChanges in diffusive property of
protoplasm
Mechanical rupture of cells during
ice formation

Freezing out of major fraction of
water in the substrate restricts
the moisture condition of
seafood ie, aW decreases
The population surviving –
independent of temperature of
freezing
Selective action on the type of
bacteria surviving during frozen
storage
Gram – asporogenous rods – cold
sensitive.
Gram + ones like
Micrococci,Lactobacillus, faecal
streptococci – more resistant.
Salmonella & enterobacteriaceae
members- more sensitive
Great variability is shown to low
temperature when present in
fish
Studies show
Prawn meat inoculated with
§ Streptococcus pyrogen B-49-2
§ Staphylococcus aureus ATCC-
12598
Frozen
§ S . pyrogen- low sensitivity to cold
injuries
§ S . aureus-survived entire storage
period of 240 days

Freezing & storage of
prawn
Freezing – max. death % – 86.78
(whole) ,79.48 (HL) , 53.01 (PD).
Frozen storage for 1 month at -18
c -% of dead popl. – 97, 96 & 61
respectively.
Thereafter decrease continued,
but in a negligible level.

When frozen foods are defrosted
& stored in refrigerator –
undergo bacterial spoilage
similar to that of unfrozen
products.
Generally speaking – frozen
storage simply preserves the
bacterial ‘status quo’ of the
product
Sensory changes
Discolouration of flesh
Deterioration of texture
Development of off or rancid
odour
Development of off-flavour




Discolouration of flesh
More prominent in fishes with fair
amount of fat
Fats are generally responsible for
discoloration
Deterioration of texture
Damage of structure &
consequent alteration in
properties of proteins
Myofibrillar fraction – max.
deteriorative changes
underwent
Factors responsible:
Formation of HCHO
Influence of lipids & free
fattyacids
In Bombay duck – flesh softened
during frozen storage
Due to activity of autolytic
enzymes
Like Phospholipases,
Trimethylamine oxidase & other
proteolytic enzymes
Loss of flavour
During prolonged frozen storage –
ice evaporates – void space –
get filled by air – enhances the
oxidation of lipids & other
oxidisable substances in the
muscle
Inturn – development of rancid
off- flavour
Sensory changes vary with
species, season,region etc..
IIR recommendations (1986) –
fishes fall under category of low-
stability products – storage
temp. -250c, preferably -300c
Little alteration in quality
detected in whole fish within 6-
12 months of storage

Thanks for the patient
listening