Effect of superchilled storage on the freshness and salting behaviour of Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar) fillets

• Published in: Food chemistry 2007, Vol.103 (4), p.1268-1281
• Main Authors: Gallart-Jornet, L., Rustad, T., Barat, J.M., Fito, P., Escriche, I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atlantic salmon; Biological and medical sciences; cold storage; cooling; enzyme activity; fish; Fish and seafood industries; fish fillets; Food industries; food quality; Free amino acids; freezing; Freshness; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; ice; mass transfer; protein degradation; Protein solubility; raw fish; Salmo salar; Salting; SDS–PAGE; storage conditions; Storage method; storage time; Superchilling; texture; water activity; water holding capacity; Yield and texture attributes; yields
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2006.10.040

The aim of this work has been to evaluate the effect of superchilled storage compared with ice and frozen storage on the quality of raw material and subsequent behaviour during processing of lightly salted salmon ( Salmo salar), as the first step of smoked salmon production. Physicochemical parameters used as quality indicators were α-glucosidase activity, protein denaturation and degradation (as changes in protein solubility, SDS–PAGE and free amino acids), texture attributes, and mass transfer phenomena during salting. The results obtained for the raw material within the storage range studied (until 16 days) allowed us to conclude that salmon superchilled for 9 days behaved as salmon stored on ice for 2 days with regard to hardness, protein solubility and free amino acids. In general, salting minimises the effect of the different storage methods. Superchilling for 9 days obtained the highest process yield, indicating that this method is a good way to preserve freshness of the raw material before processing.