A superchilling storage–ice glazing (SS-IG) of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) sashimi fillets using coating protective layers of Zanthoxylum essential oils (EOs)

Abstract Sashimi is a perishable aquatic product. Low temperature offers a promising avenue to preserve sashimi, but traditional frozen methods can hardly avoid the undesirable effects caused by fluids’ freezing. The aim of this work is to establish a superchilling storage–ice glazing (SS-IG) approach using essential oils (EOs) from Zanthoxylum acanthopodium (ZA) and Zanthoxylum simulans (ZS) to preserve sashimi. Different compound of EOs were identified using GC–MS. Twelve main active compositions accounted for 52.85 % and 63.19 % of the total oils. Fresh salmon sashimi fillets were coated by 0.3 % of EOs and stored at (-1 ± 0.2) °C for 25 days. EOs-based ice-glazing layers were formed on the surface of sashimi, while the fluids in sashimi samples still kept at liquid state. As the results, the microstructure and sensory quality of sashimi were maximally maintained. The growth of microbial populations and production of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) in sashimi were inhibited. The degree of lipid oxidation in sashimi was limited at a low range. The results revealed this SS-IG approach can effectively retain the overall quality of sashimi during storage and will be a promising means for the development of sushi industry.