###### Abstract  
Fish and fish-based products are easily perishable foods due to different factors, including fragile organization, abundant endo-enzymes, psychrophilic bacteria, and impact of pre-harvest operations, that contribute to reducing its value. Therefore, a timely effective method for fish freshness and shelf-life evaluation is important. In this context, this study aimed to develop a sensory scheme based on the Quality Index Method (QIM) (sensory table and point system) for freshness monitorization and shelf-life prediction for _Seriola dumerili_ from aquaculture in Madeira Island. Evaluation of appearance, texture, eyes, and gills was performed during 20 days of storage on ice (\(0\pm 1\)\({}^{\circ}\)C). The shelf-life prediction was supported by the analysis of microorganisms (total viable colonies, TVC, counts), texture (Torrymeter), and production of trimethylamine (TMA), evaluated by HS-SPME-GC-MS and validated according to Association of Official Analytical Chemists AOAC guidelines. The result is a QIM scheme with 25 demerit points, where zero indicates total freshness. From the integration of sensory analysis, microbial growth at the time of rejection (TVC, \(10^{8}\) cfu/cm\({}^{2}\) and H2S producers, \(10^{7}\) cfu/cm\({}^{2}\)), texture (Torrymeter value \(<8\)), and TMA analyses (\(>\)12.5 mg/100 g), shelf-life was estimated as 12 days (\(\pm\)0.5 days). The obtained results show the high-throughput potential of the developed method for fish freshness assessment and shelf-life prediction. This QIM scheme is a secure way to measure quality and provide users with a reliable standardized fish freshness measure. Greater amberjack; _Seriola dumerili_; freshness; shelf-life; QIM; sensory analysis; physicochemical analysis; microbial analysis +
Footnote †: journal: Medical  
its diffusion in the circumglobal temperate area [3]. It is also known as greater amberjack (GrA) and by other common names in European territory (Table 1). In the Mediterranean, GrA production in 2012 was approximately 2 tons, most from wild capture, with hatchery-produced individuals in Malta and some from production efforts in Greece, Spain, Italy, and Cyprus [4]. The conduction of several studies regarding the fatty acid composition of wild and reared fish [5], reproduction [6], feed formulation [7], rearing conditions [8], and handling effects [9] has led to important improvements to overcome some bottlenecks of the European aquaculture industry and GrA aquaculture development. Other studies were conducted in terms of consumer acceptability and sensory analysis [2]. Sensory characterization is an important food quality determinant, a driver for consumer acceptance, food choice, and market value. Also, the quality characterization of aquaculture products according to production and post-production factors is always of primordial importance [5;6]. Sensory analysis is adaptable to several points in the supply chain, being relevant to verify fish freshness at different transaction points. Sensory analysis applications will ultimately enhance the overall product perception in the modern demanding markets [7]. At the seafood industrial level, several methods can be used to evaluate the quality of the products to ensure that qualitative parameters are met by all agents in the value chain (producer to final consumer), including regulatory agencies, as well as in different stages of fish processing [8]. It is known that no single method is reliable enough to determine the freshness or quality of seafood products [6]. Recognition of the freshness, and acceptance or rejection, of fish on this basis maybe all that industry needs. On the other hand, different species and products spoil in different patterns, and the use of appropriate assessment methods is needed. Apart from sensory methodologies, physical, chemical, and microbial methods have been developed [8; 9; 10]. However, most of them have as fundamental base sensory knowledge to associate the analytical results with overall quality.