Quality of filleted salmon in various retail packages

The quality attributes of salmon filleted and retail packed directly after slaughtering or after transport in various bulk packages were observed during storage at +2C. The retail packages used were overwrap, vacuum and gas packages (40% CO2+ 60% N2 or 60% CO2+ 40% N2). Microbial growth was clearly greater in overwrapped and slightly greater in vacuum packed samples than in gas packed samples. The differences were more evident when the fillets were directly retail packed without preceding bulk transport. The sensory quality of retail gas packed samples was evaluated as only slightly better than that of retail overwrapped and vacuum‐packed samples after bulk transport. The sensory quality of direct, retail gas packed samples was evaluated as clearly better than that of overwrapped and vacuum packed samples. K‐values determined with both HPLC and paper strip methods increased steadily during storage, although the values determined with the HPLC method were always much higher than those determined with the rapid paper strip method.