Quality index method to evaluate the quality of Jinga shrimp (Metapenaeus affinis L.) preserved in ice water

The Quality Index Method (QIM) provides a quick and accurate quality assessment. It makes it possible to calculate preserving time and establish the freshness of sea food. This article introduces a quality assessment program based on the QIM scheme and quality index (QI) for the Jinga shrimp. The research included Jinga shrimps (Metapenaeus affinis L.), a commercially valuable aquatic species widely distributed throughout the Vietnamese coast. The input data included the changes in appearance and sensory profile of sampled shrimps during 20 days of storage at 0–4°C in ice water. They were used to construct a QIM scale, which was applied to other shrimp samples at different storage time to evaluate the relationship between the QI score and the storage time. After that, the QIM scale was tested on ten random shrimp samples to verify its shelf-life predictive power. This study managed to establish a correlation equation between the QI scores and the storage time with the coefficient of R2= 0.97. This correlation proved highly reliable as verified by comparing the predicted and actual best shelf life of Jinga shrimps stored in ice water for 8–10 days. The QIM program provides a practical and effective science-based tool that delivers fast and reliable results for customers, fishermen, food traders, and aquacultural enterprises.