Effectiveness of vacuum devices for home storage of rainbow trouts from game fishing lakes

The aim of this work was to study the effectiveness of vacuum devices for home storage of rainbow trouts from sport fishing lakes located near Avellino, in the South of Italy. The trout were divided in two groups: one was vacuum-packaged by using a "Food Vacuum System", while the other was stored in plastic trays covered with plastic wrap. Both the fish samples were stored at 4°C for 6 days. Rainbow trout purchased in a local supermarket were used as control. The trout quality was evaluated by microbiological, chemical and sensory analyses. Fatty acids and volatile compounds were characterized by GC and SPME-GC/MS. Results proved the efficiency of the vacuum system in preserving the quality characteristics of the trout, limiting the formation of off-odors and off-flavors related to spoilage and oxidative processes.