Chilling discovery: Temperature fluctuations mar fish quality

Large yellow croaker is a highly nutritious and economically valuable mariculture species, but its perishable nature poses significant challenges in storage and transport. Cold chain logistics play a crucial role in maintaining seafood quality, but frequent temperature fluctuations during transit and handling can trigger microbial growth, enzymatic activities, and chemical reactions that degrade fish quality. Addressing these challenges requires deeper insights into how temperature variations affect seafood and identifying reliable indicators of spoilage. This study aims to fill that gap, providing essential data to improve cold chain management and reduce quality loss.

This research (DOI: 10.26599/FSAP.2023.9240057), conducted by a team from Zhejiang Gongshang University and published in Food Science of Animal Products on June19, investigates the effects of temperature fluctuations during cold chain logistics on large yellow croaker. The study replicates real-world cold chain conditions, showing that inconsistent temperatures significantly compromise both the microbial and chemical integrity of the fish. The results highlight a critical need for stringent temperature control throughout the cold chain to prevent spoilage, offering valuable insights into how transport conditions impact seafood quality and setting the stage for improved preservation practices.

The research team developed a cold chain simulation model to examine the impact of temperature fluctuations ranging from 4°C to 16°C on large yellow croaker. Results showed that higher temperature fluctuations led to increased total viable counts (TVC), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content, K values, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values—all key indicators of spoilage. The study identified 81 volatile compounds, including aldehydes, ketones, and nitrogenous compounds, which varied significantly with temperature changes. Notably, 2-pentanone and ethyl acetate emerged as potential markers of quality deterioration, offering a novel approach to monitoring seafood freshness. The findings underscore the importance of maintaining stable temperatures to reduce spoilage and preserve the nutritional and sensory properties of seafood. This work provides a scientific foundation for refining cold chain practices, enhancing seafood safety, and reducing waste, making it highly relevant to the seafood industry.

Dr. Yanbo Wang, the study’s lead author, emphasized the significance of the findings: “Our study clearly demonstrates how temperature fluctuations can dramatically affect seafood quality, reinforcing the need for stringent cold chain management. Identifying specific volatile compounds as markers of spoilage provides a new tool for monitoring seafood freshness throughout the supply chain. These insights are critical for producers and distributors to minimize quality loss during transport and ensure food safety. By advancing our understanding of temperature effects on seafood, we can drive improvements across the entire cold chain logistics system.”

The implications of this research extend beyond quality control, potentially transforming the seafood supply chain. By pinpointing key indicators of spoilage, such as TVC and specific volatile compounds, the study paves the way for enhanced monitoring systems that detect quality degradation early. These insights could inspire new packaging and transport technologies that minimize temperature fluctuations, ultimately reducing food waste and bolstering consumer safety. The research also highlights the urgent need for updated regulatory standards to ensure proper temperature management in cold chain logistics, safeguarding seafood quality from ocean to table.

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32072290), the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (LZ22C200003), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Provincial Universities of Zhejiang (XRK22003).

About Food Science of Animal Products

Food Science of Animal Products, sponsored by Beijing Academy of Food Sciences, published by Tsinghua University Press and exclusively available via SciOpen, is a peer-reviewed, open access international journal that publishes the latest research findings in the field of animal-origin foods, involving food materials such as meat, aquatic products, milk, eggs, animal offals and edible insects. The research scope includes the quality and processing characteristics of food raw materials, the relationships of nutritional components and bioactive substances with human health, product flavor and sensory characteristics, the control of harmful substances during processing or cooking, product preservation, storage and packaging; microorganisms and fermentation, illegal drug residues and food safety detection; authenticity identification; cell-cultured meat, regulations and standards.

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