Food Res Int. 2026 Oct 31;242(Pt 4):120113. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2026.120113. Epub 2026 Jul 22.
ABSTRACT
Elucidating the quality deterioration mechanisms of refrigerated golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus), this study integrated 16S rRNA gene sequencing and untargeted metabolomics to systematically dissect how microbial ecological succession drives metabolic changes. As critical spoilage indicators, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) continuously increased during storage, indicating significant deterioration by day 6. Microbial community succession analysis revealed that Psychrobacter, Shewanella, and Pseudomonas gradually became the dominant microbiota in the late storage stage. Metabolite enrichment analysis further demonstrated that this shift redirected the metabolic focus from early-stage nucleotide degradation to late-stage protein hydrolysis and amino acid metabolism. Moreover, multivariate statistical analysis identified 50 potential spoilage biomarkers, among which biogenic amines (histamine, tyramine, and phenylethylamine) were recognized as key indicators reflecting spoilage progression. Correlation network analysis revealed positive correlations between Pseudomonas and Shewanella abundances and the accumulation of these biogenic amines. This suggests that these two genera act as the core functional microbiota, driving spoilage metabolite generation and subsequent quality deterioration. Pathway analysis of potential spoilage biomarker generation indicates that amino acid and nucleotide metabolism constitute the core spoilage pathways, with lipid oxidation serving as a complementary mechanism. Overall, this study elucidates the spoilage mechanisms of refrigerated golden pompano, providing chemical targets for early biomarker detection and targeted antibacterial strategies.
PMID:42637441 | DOI:10.1016/j.foodres.2026.120113
