Abstract
This study aimed to explore the changes in the quality of ready-to-eat peeled shrimp (Solenocera crassicornis) during chilled storage. The cooked shrimp were soaked in hermetically sealed jars, which were treated by three soaking methods: distilled water; 4% NaCl solution; and 4% NaCl, 0.34% citric acid, 4.23% trehalose, and 0.04% VC solution (defined as the control, experimental 1 (E1), and experimental 2 (E2) groups, respectively). The shelf-life of the E2 group was 20 days longer than that of the control group. Sensory scores, color, and textural results confirmed the E2 group exhibited better sensory scores and color, and the degradation of the physical structure of shrimp muscle was delayed during chilled storage. In addition, the total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), total viable count (TVC), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) of shrimp muscle in each group all showed an increasing trend, but these values were significantly lower in the E2 group than those in the control and E1 groups during chilled storage. The results of gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (GC–IMS) and principal components analysis (PCA) showed that the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the three groups of RTE shrimp muscle changed, but small changes in VOCs were observed in E2 during chilled storage. These results provide new ideas and references for peeled shrimp product development and quality assurance technology.