Melanosis in shrimp usually leads to reduction in its shelf life and quality, which causes a significant loss in economic value of shrimp products. This study reports potential applications of nine ethanolic extracts of by-products, i.e., peel and/or seed from three Vietnamese avocado varieties as effective inhibitors of melanosis in whiteleg shrimp. Six out of nine shrimp samples treated with the prepared extracts (0.025%, w/v) reduced melanosis and lipid oxidation more significantly as compared to those treated with sodium metabisulfite (SMS, 1.25%, w/v) and control groups (treated with water) during 8-day storage at 4°C (P<0.05). These six extracts had mean gray values ranging from 47.0±0.7 to 57.3±0.4% were lower than those treated with SMS (mean gray of 39.8±0.4%). The inhibition of melanosis and lipid oxidation in shrimp for these extracts could be attributed to their high content of polyphenols [total phenolic content (TPC) from 44.5±1.1 to 144.7±1.9 mg gallic acid equivalents/g dried weight] and strong antioxidant activities [including 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and tyrosinase enzyme inhibition]. Pearson statistical analysis showed strong correlation for melanosis inhibition to TPC and DPPH scavenging (r>0.80) followed by tyrosinase inhibition and FRAP (r>0.50). The findings obtained from this study suggest potential utilization of avocado by-product extracts as safe and cheap natural alternatives to traditional sulfites for anti-melanosis and shelf life extension of whiteleg shrimp.
Keywords: antioxidant; avocado by-products; melanosis; tyrosinase; whiteleg shrimp.
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