Changes in the quality indices during ice storage of farmed Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis)

Farmed Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) from two different cultivation areas in Spain and different rearing conditions were analyzed up to 28 days in order to establish changes in the quality indices during ice storage and select the best ones to be used to calibrate a prototype designed for rapid measurement of freshness in this species. The main indices measured were the degradation of adenosine-5′-triphosphate and breakdown products, K-value, Torrymeter readings, trimethylamine oxide nitrogen (TMAO-N), TMA-N, TBA index and dielectric measurements. The main differences observed were related to size, amount of TMAO-N, pH and fat content, which may be related to differences in the rearing conditions. The most consistent index to measure changes in freshness was the K-value that showed a linear response with time during the shelf-life period, irrespectively of the differences of size and composition of the fish in both batches. However, the dielectric response of the fish varied in the two batches in the pulse amplitude. More work is needed in order to adjust the prototype for predicting the days in ice for this species. © Springer-Verlag 2007.This study was supported by the EU QLK1-2001-01643-(SEQUID) and the Spanish PIE 2004 7 OE 050 CSIC projecPeer Reviewe