Quality improvement of shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) during refrigerated storage by application of Maillard peptides/water‐soluble chitosan coating

We investigated the effect of squid Maillard peptides (SMPs) on the shelf life and quality of shrimp for 20 days. Water‐soluble chitosan coatings incorporated with SMPs (SMPs + chitosan) were applied to shrimp under chilled conditions. Untreated samples were used as control, along with samples treated with water‐soluble chitosan and SMPs alone. The pH increase was observed in all samples, as well as increased total plate count, total volatile basic nitrogen, peroxide value, and thiobarbituric acid index. However, these indexes in the SMPs + chitosan group were lower than the other three groups, which suggested SMPs + chitosan might play a role in retarding quality loss of shrimp, and there might be a combined effect between water‐soluble chitosan and SMPs. Based on hardness, springiness, and sensory evaluation, shrimp coated with SMPs + chitosan was the best preserved, with a shelf life of 16 days but only 8–12 days for other samples. The present work demonstrates the effectiveness of SMPs + chitosan, offering a promising alternative to inhibit microbial growth and lipid oxidation on shrimps during refrigerated storage.