The effects of tea polyphenol‐ozonated slurry ice treatment on the quality of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) during chilled storage

Abstract BACKGROUND The aim of the current study was to evaluate the synergistic effects of tea polyphenol‐ozonated slurry ice on the quality, physicochemical and protein characteristics of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) during chilled (4 °C) storage. To 0.3% tea polyphenol combined with ozone water was added sodium chloride until the salt concentration reached 3.3% and with the use of an ice machine the mixture formed the tea polyphenol‐ozonated slurry ice. Microbial [total viable count (TVC)], physicochemical [total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N), K value], myofibrillar fragmentation index (MFI), Ca2+‐ATPase activity, total sulfhydryl content, intrinsic fluorescence intensity (IFI), Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE) were analyzed during chilled (4 °C) storage for up to 20 days. RESULTS The results showed that tea polyphenol‐ozonated slurry ice could effectively inhibit the increase of TVC and TVB‐N, reduce the degree of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) degradation. In addition, the tea polyphenol‐ozonated slurry ice treatment could protect the integrity of myosin in myofibrillar proteins (MPs) by inhibiting the decrease of Ca2+‐ATPase activity and the content of total sulfhydryl. Furthermore, the tea polyphenol‐ozonated slurry ice presented a superiorly protective effect on protein structure in MPs as manifested by the results of IFI, FTIR and SDS‐PAGE. It was possible that due to the addition of tea polyphenol, the antioxidant activity of this complex was significantly improved. CONCLUSION The tea polyphenol‐ozonated slurry ice treatment can maintain the quality of large yellow croaker by decreasing the damage of MP caused by the interaction between microorganisms and endogenous enzymes. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.