Hybrid striped bass (Sunshine Bass) were raised in an
indoor recirculating aquaculture system incorporating
concrete culture tanks, sump tanks, rotating biological
contactors and liquid oxygen injection and underground U-tubes
for aeration. Fish were anesthetized by two methods
after harvest to reduce metabolic activity. Hybrid striped
bass were either held in cooled water or water with elevated
CO2 levels prior to sacrificing and filleting. Control fish
were filleted immediately or three hours after harvest. The
objectives of this study were to determine the effects of
these treatments on fillet quality and to develop indicators
of quality and shelf life. All fillets were stored at I-4°C
and tested over a 14-day period. Analyses included aerobic
plate count, pH determination, texture measurements
(Instron), color measurements (L* a* b* scale) and sensory
panel evaluations of cooked portions for appearance, taste, odor and texture. Fillets of the cooled water treatment
group had the highest pH and were significantly less firm
(Instron). Log phase growth and the time for spoilage
levels of microorganisms to grow were delayed one day in the
CO2 fillets. In addition, the CO2 treated fillets were
generally rated higher in sensory attributes than the other
fillets, especially late in the test period.
next to an author's name indicates that all files or directories associated with their ETD are accessible from the Virginia Tech campus network only.
![[VT]](http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/images/ETD-db/restricted.gif)
