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Volume 15
Issue 13
10.3390/foods15132398
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Integrated Assessment of Shelf Life Evolution in Small Marine Fish from the Northwestern Spanish Coast: Microbial, Chemical, and Sensory Changes During Chilled Storage

by
Santiago P. Aubourg
1,*,
Alicia C. Mondragón
2,
Marcos Trigo
1,
José M. Miranda
2 and
Jorge Barros-Velázquez
2
1
Department of Food Technology, Marine Research Institute (CSIC), c/E. Cabello 6, 36208 Vigo, Spain
2
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Science, School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Foods 2026, 15(13), 2398; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15132398
Submission received: 29 May 2026 / Revised: 26 June 2026 / Accepted: 2 July 2026 / Published: 6 July 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Storage and Shelf-Life Assessment of Food Products: 2nd Edition)
Versions Notes

Abstract

An integrated study was conducted to evaluate quality loss in small marine fish—sardine (Sardina pilchardus), horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus), and megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis)—during a 9-day chilled storage. A progressive increase in microbial counts was observed in all species; aerobic mesophiles exceeded the spoilage limit (7 log CFU·g−1) only in horse mackerel by day 9 (7.02 log CFU·g−1), while remaining below this threshold in sardine (4.49 log CFU·g−1) and megrim (5.42 log CFU·g−1). Lipid oxidation showed species-specific behaviour, with sardine and horse mackerel exhibiting higher peroxide values (up to 19.73 and 10.73 meq O2·kg−1 lipids, respectively) and TBARS formation, whereas megrim showed limited primary and secondary oxidation but a marked increase in tertiary products (ca. six-fold). Lipid hydrolysis increased significantly, with free fatty acids rising by factors of approximately 4.1 (sardine), 13.7 (horse mackerel), and 18.6 (megrim). Similarly, trimethylamine formation increased markedly, with values rising by factors of about 13.1, 19.0, and 51.8, respectively. Sensory evaluation indicated that all species remained acceptable up to day 6 but were unacceptable by day 9, establishing a shelf life of approximately 6 days. Overall, horse mackerel showed the fastest deterioration, highlighting the need for species-specific shelf life assessment strategies.
Keywords: chilled storage; sardine; horse mackerel; megrim; microbial activity; lipid oxidation; lipid hydrolysis; sensory acceptance; quality deterioration chilled storage; sardine; horse mackerel; megrim; microbial activity; lipid oxidation; lipid hydrolysis; sensory acceptance; quality deterioration

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MDPI and ACS Style

Aubourg, S.P.; Mondragón, A.C.; Trigo, M.; Miranda, J.M.; Barros-Velázquez, J. Integrated Assessment of Shelf Life Evolution in Small Marine Fish from the Northwestern Spanish Coast: Microbial, Chemical, and Sensory Changes During Chilled Storage. Foods 2026, 15, 2398. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15132398

AMA Style

Aubourg SP, Mondragón AC, Trigo M, Miranda JM, Barros-Velázquez J. Integrated Assessment of Shelf Life Evolution in Small Marine Fish from the Northwestern Spanish Coast: Microbial, Chemical, and Sensory Changes During Chilled Storage. Foods. 2026; 15(13):2398. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15132398

Chicago/Turabian Style

Aubourg, Santiago P., Alicia C. Mondragón, Marcos Trigo, José M. Miranda, and Jorge Barros-Velázquez. 2026. "Integrated Assessment of Shelf Life Evolution in Small Marine Fish from the Northwestern Spanish Coast: Microbial, Chemical, and Sensory Changes During Chilled Storage" Foods 15, no. 13: 2398. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15132398

APA Style

Aubourg, S. P., Mondragón, A. C., Trigo, M., Miranda, J. M., & Barros-Velázquez, J. (2026). Integrated Assessment of Shelf Life Evolution in Small Marine Fish from the Northwestern Spanish Coast: Microbial, Chemical, and Sensory Changes During Chilled Storage. Foods, 15(13), 2398. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15132398

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