Shelf-Life and Quality of Anchovies (<i>Engraulis encrasicolus</i>) Refrigerated Using Different Packaging Materials

Abstract

The identification of sustainable materials as an alternative to plastic is fundamental for the protection of the environment and for the safeguard of marine ecosystems. The replacement of plastic with organic materials for fish storage might affect its shelf-life due to the high concentration of oxidizable fatty acids in fish flesh. This study investigated the effectiveness of two organic packaging materials, namely coconut fiber (Coc) and paper (Pap), as alternatives to the conventionally used polystyrene (Pol), on the shelf-life, hygienic parameters, and quality traits of anchovies refrigerated for one (T0), three (T1), or seven (T2) days. The hygienic quality of anchovies packaged in the organic Pap and Coc boxes was better than the traditional Pol, probably due to the higher porosity of the packaging, which allows a higher bacterial proliferation. Results of the T-BARS test showed a lower (p p p < 0.05) from T0 to T2. Coconut fiber and paper are worthy of further investigation since these packaging materials did not affect the shelf-life and fatty acid profile of anchovies during storage.

Keywords

• anchovies
• organic packaging
• coconut fiber
• paper
• polystyrene
• hygienic parameters