This study evaluated the effect of modified atmospheres (MAs) with different O(2) concentrations on microbial growth and volatile metabolite production in gray shrimp (Crangon crangon) during storage at 4 °C. Eight MAs were evaluated in total. Four of the MAs evaluated were without CO(2): 0/0/100, 0/10/90, 0/30/70, 0/50/50 (% CO(2)/O(2)/N(2)) whilst the other four MAs all contained 50% CO(2): 50/0/50, 50/10/40, 50/30/20, 50/50/0 (% CO(2)/O(2)/N(2)). Volatile spoilage metabolites were identified by thermal desorption GC-MS and quantified during storage by selective ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS). In comparison to microbial growth observed with an atmosphere of 100% N(2), microbial growth was stimulated by the addition of O(2) in the MAP in the absence of CO(2.) Under these conditions the total psychrotrophic counts exceeded 7 log cfug(-1) after just 3 days of storage. However, in the presence of 50% CO(2) the total psychrotrophic count exceeded 7 log cfug(-1) after 5 days of storage. The combination of 50% CO(2) and 50% O(2) significantly inhibited microbial growth. For this MA condition, a diminishing effect on the production of metabolites was also observed, especially for amines and sulfur compounds, which constituted the major fraction of components causing the offensive odor.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.