Effects of shell citron essential oil on chemical and microbiological quality of rainbow trout fillets during refrigerated storage

In the present study the phytochemical component, antioxidant and antimicrobial effects of citron essential oil (EO) on shelf life of trout fish in refrigerator temperature was investigated. A number of muscle fish samples were classified in 4 treatment groups including control and 3 treatments with different concentration of Citron essential (0.5, 1.5 and 3%) and stored at 4ºC. Microbiological assessment including total aerobic (TAC) and psychrophilic (TVC) bacteria and chemical parameter including peroxide value (PV), free fatty acid (FFA) and thiobarbituric acid (TA) analysis have been implemented. The GC/MS analysis showed that the major compound was limonene (33.6%), Benzodioxol (29.7%), phenol (8.1%), beta-bisabolene (4.4%), citral (4.3%) and zheraniol (2.15%). The chemical and bacterial index in EO treated samples had the minimum significant change under the storage period compared with control group. The TAC, TVC, FFA values and PV index in treatment groups containing 1 and 1.5% Citron EO have shown the minimum significant change and TA in 3% Citron EO (P