Effect of Vacuum Packaging and Sous Vide Processing on the Quality of Indian White Shrimp (Fenneropenaeus indicus) During Chilled Storage

A comparative study was undertaken to assess the effect of sous vide (SV) processing, vacuum, and ordinary air packaging on the quality and shelf life of condiment-incorporated Indian white shrimp (Fenneropenaeus indicus) during chilled storage. The pasteurization value (PV) for SV-processed shrimp was 4.02 min at 90oC. The initial K value of shrimp (2.17%) increased to 5.26% with SV processing and further increased to a value of 46.9% on the day of sensory rejection, compared with 64.3% and 62.7% for vacuum and air-packed samples, respectively. A nearly 3 log reduction in total mesophilic count was observed for SV-processed shrimp. Formation of volatile bases, indole, and lipid oxidation was significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited in SV-processed shrimp compared to others. SV processing extended the shelf life of condiment-incorporated shrimp up to 28 days, compared to only 15 and 8 days for vacuum and air-packed samples, respectively.