Effect of vacuum packaging and sodium acetate on the shelf life of seer fish during iced storage

This paper gives in detail the changes occurring in vacuum-packed seer fish (Scomberomorus guttatus) during ice storage. Seer fish steaks were packed in laminated pouches to study the effect of vacuum packaging with and without sodium acetate treatment, in comparison with air-packed samples. All these samples were stored in ice and were subjected to biochemical, microbiological and sensory evaluation at regular intervals. The shelf life of seer fish steaks packed without vacuum and treatment was 21 days, whereas sodium acetate-treated steaks without vacuum and untreated vacuum-packed steaks had a shelf life of 31 days. Steaks with sodium acetate treatment and vacuum packing had a shelf life of 34 days. Based on the results, it is observed that a combination of vacuum packaging and treatment with sodium acetate significantly increases the storage life of seer fish in ice. Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.