Brining of cod fillets: effects of phosphate, salt, glucose, ascorbate and starch on yield, sensory quality and consumers liking

• Published in: Food science & technology 2005-09, Vol.38 (6), p.641-649
• Main Authors: Esaiassen, Margrethe, Østli, Jens, Joensen, Sjúrður, Prytz, Kristian, Olsen, Jan Vidar, Carlehög, Mats, Elvevoll, Edel O., Richardsen, Roger
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Additives; appearance (quality); ascorbic acids; Biological and medical sciences; Brining; Cod; cod (fish); consumer preferences; consumer surveys; Consumers’ liking; Fish and seafood industries; fish fillets; food additives; Food industries; food processing quality; Fresh; Frozen; frozen fish; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; glucose; juiciness; raw fish; salted fish; sensory evaluation; Sensory properties; sodium chloride; sodium tripolyphosphate; starch; Starch and starchy product industries; taste; texture; thawing; water content; Yield
• ISSN: 0023-6438; 1096-1127
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2004.08.011

In order to study how triphosphate, salt, glucose, ascorbate and starch, both separately and in mixture, could affect the quality and the yield of brined cod fillets, an experimental design was applied. Salt was the variable with highest pronounced effect on yield and appearance, followed by triphosphate, glucose, starch and sodium ascorbate. By treating skinless frozen/thawed cod fillets with brine consisting of 25gsalt/l, 10g triphosphate/l, 5g glucose/l, 5gsodium ascorbate/l and 5gstarch/l in a vacuum tumbler for 15min, a 35% weight increase was obtained. The products retained a natural appearance with a homogenous surface. Next, an experiment was carried out to assess the effect of this brining mixture on sensory properties and consumers liking of both fresh and frozen/thawed cod fillets. Sensory analyses showed that the intensity of the sensory attributes cod taste, cod smell, juiciness, whiteness and glossiness could be heightened by brining, while the intensities of old/stale taste and smell could be lowered. The effects were prominent for products subjected to freezing before and/or after processing, while the characteristics of the fresh products were little influenced by brining. Using an in-house consumer panel, it was shown that the frozen/thawed products were the less preferred products. However, brining considerably enhanced the preferences for frozen and thawed cod fillets, obtaining preferences similar to the fresh, nonbrined product (F).