Natural preservation of Dormitator latifrons: microbiological, chemical and sensory effects of organic acid-enhanced ice

Bermúdez-Medranda A.E.; Ureña-Peralta M.O.; Cruz-Quintana Y.; Solórzano G.J.P.; León A.E.M.; Briones-Bermúdez D.E. · Journal of Food Science and Technology (2026) · DOI: 10.1007/s13197-026-06795-5

Resumen

The effect of two equimolar mixtures of natural organic acids—ascorbic acid and citric acid—at concentrations of 0.005% and 0.02% (w/v) was evaluated. These mixtures were prepared in aqueous solutions and incorporated into the ice glazing system for the refrigerated preservation of Pacific fat sleeper (Dormitator latifrons); a species of the Eleotridae family commercially marketed in Ecuador. pH and lipid content were mainly influenced by storage time rather than by the treatments themselves, suggesting limitations related to concentration or exposure time. However, the treatments were effective in reducing the accumulation of free fatty acids and the formation of both primary and secondary oxidation products (peroxide index and MDA), while preserving the sensory quality of the fish throughout the storage period. Treatment T2 (0.02%) applied in the form of ice glazing was able to maintain the sensory, chemical, and microbiological quality of the fish during refrigerated storage. © Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India) 2026.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina