Physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, Linnaeus 1758) packaged with different modified atmosphere conditions and stored at refrigerator temparature

In this study, sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, L. 1758) which were headed and gutted were packaged with air, MAP (75% CO2 + 25% N2, 60% CO2 + 40% N2, 30% CO2 + 30% O2 + 40% N2) vacuum and they were stored at refrigerator temparature (2.9oC ? 0.02) for 40 days.During the storage, MAP and vacuum packaging were effective on microbial flora, physical and chemical changes of fish meat. TVB-N, TBA, TMA and bacteriological growth were limited by increasing CO2 ratio. Storage with gas mix which included 75% and %60 CO2 was more effective than vacuum packaging and packaging with gas mix included oxygen but vacuum packaging was the most effective method for prevent lipid oxidation. Chemical quality analysis which were not enough for fish meat which was packaged vacuum and CO2 enrichment modified atmosphere were should be supported by microbiological and sensory analysis were determined. Optimum packaging method for headed and gutted sea bass was modified atmosphere packaging, and the most suitable gas mix ratio for packaging was 75% CO2 + 25% N2.All analysis results show that, days of consumable the best quality for headed and gutted sea bass packaged with air, 75% CO2 + 25% N2, 60% CO2 + 40% N2, 30% CO2 + 30% O2 + 40% N2 and vacuum were 4th, 28th, 28th, 16th, 20th day, respectively. Sea bass were unconsumable in 8th, 32nd, 32nd, 20th, 24th days, respectively.In our study, sea bass packaged with air spoilaged at 8th day, whereas, vacuum packaging has increased 3 times the shelf life of fish, also MAP has increased approximately 4 times.