LAUSR

Abstract Frozen Atlantic cod can have a long shelf-life, but some markets demand convenience products and thawed and chilled (refreshed) fish may fulfil this demand. Sensory, chemical and microbiological changes for refreshed cod from Greenland were studied to determine shelf-life and potential indices of spoilage. Aerobic sensory shelf-life was 13 days at 2.9 °C and 19 days at 0.4 °C, with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP: 40% CO2 and 60% N2) extending shelf-life to >32 days. Low drip loss during chilled storage of 2.3–2.5% for refreshed cod in air and 3.4–3.6% in MAP suggested the studied fish material was suitable for a combination of frozen and chilled distribution. Pseudomonas spp. and Psychrobacter spp. dominated the spoilage microbiota of chilled cod in air, while Carnobacterium maltaromaticum and Rahnella aquatilis dominated the microbiota of chilled MAP cod. A specific spoilage organism, that limited sensory shelf-life and caused the observed chemical product changes, including the formation of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), was not identified.