Biochemical and sensory measures of quality for frozen king scallops which had been thawed and stored in melting ice were compared with those for samples wrapped in aluminium foil and cling film and then stored in a refrigerator at 4°C.Significant differences (P≤0.05) were apparent between the iced and packaged samples with respect to flesh concentrations of trimethylamine oxide nitrogen, trimethylamine nitrogen (TMA-N) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and the sensory aspects of appearance and smell after 7 days of storage. TMA-N and TVB-N levels were substantially higher in the packaged samples, exceeding the limits for fitness by days 9 and 7 respectively in both packaged samples, whilst in the iced sample the limit was not exceeded even after 16 days of storage. The latter sample, however, was judged unfit for consumption by sensory analysis after day 9. The levels of the biochemical indices of spoilage, TMA-N and TVB-N, would appear, therefore, to be misleadingly depressed through the leaching effect of the ice meltwater. © Springer-Verlag 2001.

This work was funded by the Project QUALPOISS 2: FAIR PL. 97.3253. The fellowship awarded by the Ministry of Education and Science of Spain is gratefully acknowledged.

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