Shelf‐Life Study of Refrigerated, Vacuum‐Packaged, Ready‐to‐Eat Hot‐Smoked, South African Choromytilus meridionalis

The South African Choromytilus meridionalis is a marine aquaculture bivalve species underutilised for human consumption as a ready‐to‐eat (RTE) product. Hot smoking is a widely used method for preparing RTE seafood products. This study investigated the physicochemical (pH, water activity, and colour), lipid oxidation, and microbiological characteristics of aerobic‐packaged (AP) and vacuum‐packaged (VP) hot‐smoked C. meridionalis during refrigerated storage for 28 days. Lipid oxidation was expressed in terms of changes in peroxide values (PVs) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Microbiological analyses, including total viable count (TVC), coliforms, and the presence of Escherichia coli , Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes , and Vibrio parahaemolyticus , were performed to assess food safety for consumer consumption. Packaging and storage duration did not significantly affect ( p > 0.05) the water activity ( a w ) or microbiological quality. The pH was significantly ( p < 0.05) affected by packaging type, while PV and TBARS were significantly affected ( p < 0.05) by storage time. Despite increases in oxidation markers, the final values for both AP and VP samples remained below the established critical limits for rancidity and consumer acceptability. The low bacterial load and the absence of pathogenic bacteria indicate that the hot‐smoking process was adequate for ensuring food safety. It is concluded that the shelf life and safety of hot‐smoked C. meridionalis can be successfully extended to 28 days under refrigerated storage using either aerobic or vacuum packaging.