Effect of gutting on microbial loads, sensory properties, and volatile and biogenic amine contents of European hake (Merluccius merluccius var. mediterraneus) stored in ice.

The effect of gutting on sensory, microbiological, and chemical properties of European hake (Merluccius merluccius var. mediterraneus) stored in ice was studied. Gutting of hake noticeably affected the development of gram-negative bacteria: counts of Enterobacteriaceae, Shewanella putrefaciens, and Pseudomonas throughout ice storage were higher in gutted than in ungutted samples. These differences in microbial loads were also reflected in the lower sensory scores of both raw and cooked hake, in the quicker trimethylamine accumulation, and in the higher contents of putrescine, cadaverine, tyramine, and histamine found in gutted hake. All of the fish quality indicators studied showed that gutting made hake more susceptible to spoilage during ice storage and decreased its shelf life by 4 days.