A novel plasma-activated water and low-voltage electric field-assisted thawing for spotted sea bass: Effect on quality and flavor characteristics

• PAW-LVEFT treatment effectively improved the quality attributes of sea bass. • PAW-LVEFT effectively inhibits fish spoilage caused by microbial and enzymatic activities. • PAW-LVEFT treatment promoted the release of taste-enhancing amino acids in fish meat. • PAW-LVEFT improved the flavor profile of the fish meat. The present study evaluated food safety parameters and quality attributes during the thawing process. Specifically, sea bass specimens were subjected to a combination of plasma-activated water and low-voltage electrostatic field thawing (PAW-LVEFT). These assessments focused particularly on the flavor profile characteristics of the thawed sea bass. The PAW-LVEFT treatment produced measurable increases in both L * (66.02) and a * (−1.50) values and substantially enhanced the textural properties. It effectively inhibited the spoilage activity caused by microorganisms and endogenous enzymes during thawing. Quantitative analysis revealed substantial reductions in TVB-N values for the PAW-LVEFT treatment, with reductions of 5.6, 1.4, and 3.74 mg/100g observed compared to the other groups, respectively. The PAW-LVEFT treatment significantly elevated nucleotide content ( p < 0.05) compared to traditional thawing. IMP, GMP, and AMP content increased by 25.4%, 26.3% and 53.4%, respectively. A substantial elevation in the total amino acid content was observed in PAW-LVEFT, which was closely associated with improved flavor development. Both the electronic nose and the electronic tongue assessments yielded consistent results. The volatile substances in PAW-LVEFT, such as 2-propanone and 1-hexanol, were identified through GC-IMS fingerprinting analysis. Overall, the PAW-LVEFT treatment proved to be effective in enhancing the quality characteristics of sea bass and improving its flavor profile.