Effects of Vacuum and Modified Atmosphere Packaging on Physicochemical and Microbiological Quality of Cooked Squid Stuffed with Sticky Rice During Refrigerated Storage

Stuffed squid with sticky rice (Tupa Sutong) is a traditional seafood product from southern Thailand with limited refrigerated shelf life because of rapid microbial spoilage and quality deterioration. This study evaluated the effects of atmospheric packaging (AP), vacuum packaging (VP), and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP; 50% O₂, 25% CO₂, and 25% N₂) on the physicochemical and microbiological quality of cooked stuffed squid during refrigerated storage (4 ± 2 °C) for 24 days. Changes in hardness, pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), trimethylamine nitrogen (TMA-N), thiobarbituric acid (TBA), and total viable count (TVC) were determined throughout storage. Storage time significantly affected all quality parameters (p 0.05). Samples stored under AP deteriorated most rapidly, showing faster increases in TVB-N, TMA-N, TBA, and TVC, accompanied by a greater reduction in texture quality. Both VP and MAP delayed quality deterioration by slowing microbial growth and chemical changes during storage. Based on the microbiological acceptability limit, the shelf life of the product was 12, 18, and 21 days under AP, MAP, and VP, respectively. Among the packaging systems evaluated, VP provided the greatest extension of refrigerated shelf life while maintaining the physicochemical and microbiological quality of cooked stuffed squid with sticky rice. These findings provide useful information for selecting appropriate packaging systems for the commercial production and distribution of this traditional seafood product.