Quality Changes in Live Ruditapes philippinarum During “Last Mile” Cold Chain Breakage: Effect of Packaging

Abstract

The reliability of the “last mile” of cold-chain logistics is crucial for food safety. This study investigated the effect of different packaging treatments on the quality of anhydrously preserved live Ruditapes philippinarum (R. philippinarum) in “last mile” cold chain disruption. The temperature profiles of three packaging treatments at ambient temperature (25 °C) were monitored. Quality assessment was conducted based on sensory scoring, survival rate, total viable count (TVC), water-holding capacity (WHC), pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBA), color, and texture. Low-frequency nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were utilized to characterize the water state profile. The findings demonstrated a progressive increase in internal package temperature throughout the “last mile”, with packages containing additional ice packs more effectively maintaining lower temperature and restricting the migration of “hot spots” towards the center. Specifically, the package with three ice packs maintained a markedly lower temperature, which effectively inhibited microbial activity, lipid oxidation, and the production of alkaline substances, resulting in higher survival rates, water-holding capacity, texture, sensory acceptability, and immobilized water fraction. Furthermore, LF-NMR relaxation parameters showed strong correlations with various physicochemical indices, suggesting a potential approach for real-time quality monitoring. This study provides insights for maintaining live R. philippinarum quality during the “last mile”.