Effect of ozone pretreatment on fish storage life at low temperatures.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of ozone pretreatment of live fish on their shelf life and storage characteristics during storage at 0 and 5 degrees C. The evaluation included sensory, chemical, physical, and bacteriological tests at set intervals throughout a storage period of 30 days under two temperature regimes (0 and 5 degrees C). The results of the sensory tests showed that ozone pretreatment of live tilapia prolonged their shelf life by 12 days and improved their quality characteristics during storage at 0 degrees C for 30 days. These results were corroborated by the bacteriological tests. The sensory qualities of ozone-treated tilapia stored at 5 degrees C became unacceptable 3 days later than those of control fish. Although the most important factor affecting the fish shelf life is storage temperature, the combination of ozone pretreatment with storage at 0 degrees C appears to be a promising means of prolonging the shelf life.