Pirarucu is economically the most important fish species of the Brasilian Amazonia, and this fact has coming strong interest of the fishfarmers on this trading explotation. Thus the purpose of this study was to evaluate sensorial, physico-chemical and microbiological changes those occur in the pirarucu whole stored on ice (2 ± 1 ºC). Samples were analyzed every week, for 36 days, by determination of pH, total volatile bases of nitrogen (N-TVB), sensory evaluation by the Quality Index Method (QIM), instrumental texture and bacterial counts. Additionally was determined the chemical composition, the rigor index and fish yield. The results showed the shelf life for consumption, according the sensorial evaluation was 27 ± 0,5 days on ice. The psychrophilic and mesophilic counts was between 10(6)-10(7) at 36 days of experiment and the pH and N-TVB values showed no significant elevated during ice storage.
Ice storage; N-TVB; Bacterial counts; QIM system
