Método índice de qualidade na determinação do frescor da curimatã (prochilodus nigricans)

This work aimed to evaluate the freshness of curimatã (Prochilodus nigricans) kept with and without ice refrigeration. For this, 6 samples were collected divided into two treatments (with and without ice)with 3 replications each. The attributes of appearance, skin, scales, mucus, rigidity, blood release, fin, eyes, gills, abdomen and anal area were evaluated, described in quality characteristics ranging from 0 to 1, 0 to 2 or 0 to 3, with the zero as the best quality and two or three as the worst, adding up to a maximum total of 42 demerit points, called the Quality Index (IQ). The first parameter to show changes was eye color and the last was skin firmness. Fish without refrigeration reached an IQ of 23 points in 22 hours and fish stored on ice reached an IQ of 24 points in 15 days. It is concluded from the results found that curimatã, when not refrigerated, should be consumed within 22 hours, while that kept under refrigeration can be consumed within 15 days. The Quality Index Method (MIQ) proved to be an easy-to-execute sensory method and capable of identifying refrigeration as an extension of the shelf life of curimatã consumption by 15 days.