Vol. 8, Special Issue 12, Part H (2024)

Recently, advanced processing techniques have gained attention for mitigating spoilage in fish and fishery products. Fresh seafood quality deteriorates at various stages, including cultivation, processing, harvesting, transportation, and post-purchase storage, primarily due to microbial contamination, poor handling, inadequate packaging, suboptimal storage practices, limited on-farm facilities and adverse weather conditions. UV-C radiation has emerged as a promising method for reducing spoilage by inactivating pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms through DNA lesions and disruption of cellular enzyme activity and membrane integrity. This study evaluated the impact of UV-C radiation on the quality and shelf life of reef cod (Epinephelus diacanthus) fillets during chilled storage (4±1°C). Fillets were exposed to UV-C for 20s, 40s, and 60s and stored for 15 days. Fillets treated with UV-C for 20s exhibited superior overall performance across various quality parameters. Chemical spoilage indicators such as trimethylamine nitrogen (TMA-N) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) increased over time, with the 20s treatment group recording the lowest TVB-N value (20.3 mg/100g) on Day 10. Rancidity markers, including peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) value, were minimized in the 20s group, with PV and TBA values of 2.5 meq O2/kg and 0.98 mg MDA/kg, respectively, on Day 10. Microbial analysis revealed significantly lower total plate counts (TPC) in UV-C-treated samples, with the 20s treatment maintaining TPC of 5.2 log CFU/g compared to 6.5 log CFU/g in the control. Sensory and textural evaluations highlighted better acceptability and structural integrity in the 20s-treated fillets for up to 10 days. These findings demonstrate that UV-C treatment, particularly at 20s, effectively preserves seafood quality during chilled storage and holds potential for wider application in the seafood industry.