Liu X, Li J, Chen M, Wang L, Chen F, Qi Y, Chen Y, Ye M, Dai F.

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.151054

Summary

This study investigated the combined application of plasma-activated lactic acid pretreatment and electron beam irradiation for preserving tilapia fillet quality during storage. Metabolomic analysis revealed that whilst electron beam irradiation alone induced significant oxidative stress and disrupted key metabolic pathways, the combined PALA-EBI treatment substantially mitigated these effects by reducing bacterial contamination, slowing spoilage marker accumulation, and partially restoring long-chain acylcarnitine levels. The research identifies purine and glycerophospholipid metabolism as critical pathways linked to quality degradation in tilapia, offering mechanistic insights for developing improved preservation technologies.

Regional applicability

This research is directly applicable to United Kingdom aquaculture and seafood supply chains, where tilapia is increasingly farmed and distributed. The findings on plasma-activated lactic acid as a non-chemical preservative align with United Kingdom and EU regulatory preferences for clean-label and green preservation technologies, though regulatory approval for plasma-activated lactic acid would need to be confirmed through relevant food safety authorities.

Key measures

Total viable bacterial count, volatile basic nitrogen, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, fillet colour metrics, LC-MS/MS metabolomic profiling of glycerophospholipids, fatty acids, nucleotides, amino acids, long-chain acylcarnitines, purine metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism pathways

Outcomes reported

The study measured the effect of plasma-activated lactic acid (PALA) pretreatment combined with electron beam irradiation (EBI) on tilapia fillet quality during storage, including bacterial load, volatile basic nitrogen, lipid oxidation markers, colour changes, and metabolic pathway disruption using LC-MS/MS metabolomics.

Theme: Nutrition & health
Subject: Aquaculture & fisheries
Study type: Research
Study design: Experimental field trial with metabolomic analysis
Source type: Peer-reviewed study
Status: Published
Geography: China
System type: Aquaculture
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.151054
Catalogue ID: NRmu8gjnhw-007

Topic tags

aquaculture tilapia food preservation metabolomics oxidative stress electron beam irradiation

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Metabolomics reveals the mechanism of plasma-activated lactic acid pretreatment in maintaining the quality of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) after electron beam irradiation.