The effects of nisin used at different concentrations on quality parameters of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, Linnaeus, 1758) fillets under chilled (4±2oc) and vacuum packed conditions

In this study the effects of nisin used at different concentrations (0.2%, 0.4% and 0.8% w/v) on the sensory, physical, chemical and microbiological quality parameters of chilled (Trial I) and vacuum packed (Trial II) sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) fillets were investigated. According to Trial I, the shelf life of fish fillets (raw and cooked) was found as 6 days for the control group and 8 days for nisin groups. The results of Trial II indicated that the shelf life of raw and cooked fish fillets was found as 12 days for the control group and 14 days for nisin treatment groups. According to the obtained results, nisin treated fish showed lower (p<0.05) and acceptable sensory, physical (color), biochemical (PV, TBA, FFA, pH, TVB-N, AMN, TMA and biogenic amines) and microbiological (total mesophylic viable counts, total psychrophylic viable counts, total H2S produced counts and total lactic acid bacteria) attributes compared with control. Fatty acids composition analysis indicated that presence of the nisin preserved nutritional quality of fish lipid. This study concluded that treatment of the nisin under chilled and vacuum packaged storage of sea bass fillets resulted in improvement of quality and extension of shelf life of the fish up to 2 days in both trials at 4±2°C.