Quality Changes of Pond‐raised Hybrid Striped Bass during Chillpack and Refrigerated Storage

ABSTRACT Pond‐raised hybrid striped bass were commercially processed into fillets with and without belly flap, packaged in oxygen permeable bags (Cryovac E (tm) ), and stored as chillpack samples (‐2°C) and as refrigerated samples (2°C). Quality changes were determined over 21 days storage by microbiological, chemical, and sensory evaluations. Aerobic plate counts and hypoxanthine formation showed evidence of rapid deterioration of refrigerated samples after 8 days storage compared to 21 days for chillpack samples. A trained sensory panel found 21 day stored chillpack samples similar in flavor and aroma but of firmer texture than refrigerated samples stored 8 days. Panelists found no differences between trimmed and whole fillets. Hypoxanthine formation and aerobic plate counts appeared to be good indicators of quality deterioration, whereas thiobarbituric acid measurements were not.