Abstract
Extending sardine shelf life while maintaining their quality is challenging even with non-thermal technologies like high-pressure processing (HPP). This study investigates the effects of HPP at 400 and 600 MPa for varying holding times (1, 2.5, 5, and 10 minutes) on fresh sardines to extend their shelf life. Physicochemical attributes were assessed over 14 days of cold storage, analyzing texture, color, and volatile organic profiles. Increasing both pressure and holding times resulted in increased levels of hardness, chewiness, and lightness during storage. Aldehyde and ketone levels were impacted by both storage and HPP treatments (i.e., pressure and holding time), with treated samples showing lower ketone levels compared to untreated ones on day 14. Control samples displayed exclusively oxidation volatile markers (hexanal and 2,4-hexadienal) by the end of the storage period. These findings indicate the potential of HPP in prolonging shelf life and preserving quality in the sardine market. This study showed that high-pressure processing for fresh sardines has a high potential application in the future market even for cold storage periods longer than 14 days.