Determining spoilage of whiteleg shrimp (Litopanaeus vannemei) during refrigerated storage using colorimetric strips

A reliable spoilage assessment method is needed to ensure sufficient quality control of shrimp. Colorimetric dye-based indicators that change color in response to pH changes can monitor food quality changes in a simple, quick, and accurate way and generate easy-to-interpret results. Significant positive correlations with storage time were observed for the results of the bromophenol blue (BPB) strips (r = 0.8513, p < 0.0001) and the rose bengal strips (r = 0.8981, p < 0.0001). The results of both colorimetric methods significantly correlated with sensory and chemical quality indicators, including sensory attributes “salty water-like”, “natto water-like” and “sour milk-like”, and volatile compounds such as 3-methyl-3-butenol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, hexanol, 2-methyl-1-butanal, and 3-methyl-1-butanal. The BPB strips and rose bengal strips have the potential to be used as objective, accurate, and cost-efficient methods to evaluate shrimp quality and lead to consistent and easy-to-interpret results.