Sardine’s somatic condition study which is essential in reproductive potential

This briefing note is aimed at businesses that catch, process, buy, sell or trade fresh seafood products; it seeks to improve the understanding of those factors that cause the natural deterioration of seafood products due to spoilage, and to ensure that businesses are able to mitigate and remediate those changes as far as possible to ensure that the maximum storage lives for their products are achieved.

In this study, the seasonality effect on the freshness profile of different economic fish species was evaluated for the first time, using three different approaches (sensory: Quality Index Method (QIM) and European (EC) Scheme; physical: Torrymeter (TRM) values; and microbiological analyses: Total Viable Counts (TVC) and degradative bacteria). Over a year, individuals of farmed fish Sparus aurata and Dicentrarchus labrax, as well as the wild fish Trachurus trachurus, Scomber colias, and Sardina pilchardus, were sampled seasonally for the evaluation of their freshness profile over 10 days on ice.

Dielectric properties and sensory assessment of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, L.) stored under six different conditions over a period of 75 hours were investigated. Declines of the Fish Freshness Meter (Torrymeter) values over time were established under all storage conditions but showed variability.

This research studied sea bream freshness evolution through storage time in ice by determining different quality parameters and sensory profiles.

This document provides guidance and handy tips, which consumers can use to ensure they know what to look for when purchasing quality fresh, chilled or frozen seafood.