Evolution of Food Safety Features and Volatile Profile in White Sturgeon Caviar Treated with Different Formulations of Salt and Preservatives during a Long-Term Storage Time

Caviar is a semi-preserved fish preparation in which cold storage (around 0 °C) and packaging under anaerobic conditions are fundamental to guarantee adequate safety parameters. Consumers seem to prefer caviar prepared with food salt only, but according to the needs of the different distribution channels, some preservatives are used in order to prolong its shelf life and to allow less restrictive storage conditions. Traditionally, the most common preservative was sodium tetraborate (borax), a salt that contributes to the sensory profile of caviar. However, due to its toxicity, borax has been banned in many countries, and the current trend is to reduce or eliminate its use. In this study, we evaluated the evolution of food safety parameters (pH, water activity, microbiological parameters) and the volatile profile during 14 months of storage in caviar samples treated with three different preservatives: I. exclusively NaCl, II. a mixture of borax and NaCl, and III. a mixture of organic acids and salts. Microbial presence was studied by means of plate counts; volatile organic compounds were identified on the sample headspace by means of solid phase microextraction with gas-chromatography and mass spectrometry. Results showed relevant differences among the three treatments investigated, with salt samples characterized by the highest viable counts and the greatest presence of volatile products driven by oxidative and spoilage processes, mainly occurring toward lipid and amino acids. On the contrary, the mixture of organic acids and salts showed the best response during the entire storage period. Finally, the employment of a multiparametric statistic model allowed the identification of different clusters based on the time of ripening and the preservative treatments used.