Quality of farmed gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) during ice storage related to the slaughter method and gutting

Abstract.

This paper examines the influence of the slaughter method and the post-mortem treatment (gutting) on the quality during ice storage of cultured gilthead seabream collected under industrial conditions. The choice of slaughter method had no great effect on the main biochemical indices, physicochemical parameters or sensory assessment, although there were slight microbiological differences. The expected improvement in quality using "humane" as opposed to commercial methods was not observed and was probably masked by the pre-slaughter stress affecting industrially harvested fish. The influence of gutting materialised as a decrease in the intensity of rigor mortis and a drop in microbial load, largely at the outset of shelf life. All the other parameters considered were almost unaffected by gutting. The physicochemical quality indices normally used to determine fish spoilage during ice storage are not suitable for establishing the quality of immature farmed gilthead seabream.