The Effect of High Intensity Ultrasound on the Quality and Shelf Life of Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Muscle

It has been documented that the shelf life of fishery products is extremely reduced due to microbial development and its endogenous biochemistry. For this reason, food technologists around the world are researching how to reduce the main processes that lead to spoilage. Recently, high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) has had different applications in the food industry because the cavitation effect can inhibit or reduce microbial development as well as cause conformational changes in muscle enzymes. Therefore, in this study, HIU was applied for 30, 60, and 90 min to the tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fillet, and subsequently, it was stored on ice for 20 days. During this period, samples were taken every 5 days (day 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20), and moisture content, pH, total volatile base (TVB-N), non-protein nitrogen (NPN), texture, electrophoresis, color, and microbiological analyses (mesophiles and psychrophiles) were determined. No significant changes (p ≥ 0.05) were observed in the moisture content, pH, and the L* parameter, while a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in TVB-N (from 29.67 to 15.09), NPN (from 0.39 to 0.27%), and texture (from 4.88 to 2.69 N) were found. On the other hand, an increase (p < 0.05) in a* (from 2.02 to 4.27) and b* (from 10.66 to 12.45) parameters, as well as total mesophile count (from 2.48 to 6.52 log CFU/g) were detected due to the application of ultrasound. The results suggest that the application of this treatment represents a viable alternative to increase the shelf life and quality of tilapia fillets stored on ice.