Influence of salt, smoke, and high pressure on growth of Listeria monocytogenes and spoilage microflora in cold-smoked dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus)

The effects of different salting and smoking conditions on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in cold-smoked dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) fillets were evaluated. High concentrations of phenol (72.47 ppm) and salt (3.25%) in muscle inhibited L. monocytogenes growth in smoked fish stored at 20 degrees C for 4 days. The antibacterial effect of high pressure in cold-smoked dolphinfish during long-term chilled (5 degrees C) storage was evaluated in fillets prepared according to two different sets of salting and smoking conditions. Combining the milder salting and smoking conditions (1.97% salt and 42 ppm phenol) with a high pressure treatment of 300 MPa at 20 degrees C for 15 min sufficed to exert a bacteriostatic effect on the total viable bacteria, total lactic acid bacteria, and L. monocytogenes. However, in fillets prepared using the more severe salting and smoking conditions (2.93% salt and 82 ppm phenol), pressurization kept L. monocytogenes counts under the detection limit throughout 100 days of storage. A similar effect was obtained by dosing the fillets with nisin. No luminescent bacteria, hydrogen sulfide-producing bacteria, or Enterobacteriaceae were found in any of the fillets produced using either of the two sets of processing conditions.