Inhibition of resident microbial flora and pathogen inocula on cold fresh fish fillets in olive oil, oregano, and lemon juice under modified atmosphere or air

Abstract

The development of a microbial population was studied in Mediterranean gilt-head seabream (Sparus aurata, tsipoura in Hellenic) dressed with olive oil. lemon juice, aid oregano, inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enteritidis, and stored under a modified atmosphere (MA) of 40% CO2, 30% O2, and 30% N2 or air at 0 ± 1°C. The treatment had bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects on both inoculated pathogens as well as on the autochthonous flora. Brochothrix thermosphacta and pseudomonads dominated the spoilage flora under MA and under air respectively. Shewanella putrefaciens was clearly inhibited.