Quality Index Method (QIM) developed for pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus and determination of its shelf life

- This study was conducted with the Piaractus mesopotamicus gutted and stored on ice.
- Shelf life was conducted by sensory analysis, bacteriological and physical chemistry.
- The QIM scheme efficiently assessed pacu quality.
- Loss of sensory quality correlated with storage time.
- Piaractus mesopotamicus gutted ice-stored fit for consumption until the 11th day.

The study aimed to develop the Quality Index Method (QIM) for assessing the sensory quality of gutted, ice-stored pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus, assess the sensory, physical, chemical and bacteriological changes that occur during the storage period and determine the best quality assessment parameters, proposing acceptance limits for the species. The Quality Index (QI) of the developed QIM scheme increased linearly over the storage period, with the demerit score varying from 0 to 32, indicating a shelf life of 11 days. The QIM scheme efficiently assessed pacu quality, and loss of sensory quality correlated well with storage time. Relation of the results of analyses, mainly bacteriological analysis and QIM, suggests that gutted, ice-stored pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus is fit for consumption until the 11th day of storage.