Food By-Products to Extend Shelf Life: The Case of Cod Sticks Breaded with Dried Olive Paste

Recently, the interest in recovery bioactive compounds from food industrial by-products is growing abundantly. Olive oil by-products are a source of valuable bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. One of the most interesting by-products of olive oil obtained by a two-phase decanter is the olive paste, a wet homogeneous pulp free from residuals of the kernel. To valorize the olive paste, ready-to-cook cod sticks breaded with dried olive oil by-products were developed. Shelf-life tests were carried out on breaded cod sticks and during 15 days of storage at 4 °C pH evolution, microbiological aspects, and sensory properties were also monitored. In addition, the chemical quality of both control and active samples was assessed in terms of total phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity. The enrichment with olive paste increased the total phenols, the flavonoids, and the antioxidant activity of the breaded fish samples compared to the control. Furthermore, the bioactive compounds acted as antimicrobial agents, without compromising the sensory parameters. Therefore, the new products recorded a longer shelf life (12 days) than the control fish sample that remained acceptable for nine days.