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Sigurjón Arason
Chief Engineer
sigurjon.arason@matis.is
Effect of brining and frozen storage on physicochemical properties of well-fed Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) intended for hot smoking and canning
Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) is a relatively new species off the coast of Iceland. As mackerel is a fatty fish with a short shelf life, it therefore requires maximization of storage conditions and processing processes. In this project, changes in the chemical and physical properties of the heat treatment of salted and unsalted mackerel were studied. Prior to processing, the fish was stored for 6, 9 and 12 months at -18 ° C and -25 ° C with a view to examining how well Icelandic frozen mackerel is suitable as a raw material in canned and hot-smoked products. To examine the effect of heat treatment on the processing properties of mackerel, the samples were heated to 75 ° C (to simulate smoking) and 90 ° C (to simulate canning). Prolonged storage in the freezer had a negative effect on the raw material due to increased development and the fish stored at -18 ° C had a significantly poorer quality compared to fish stored at -25 ° C before processing. The results showed that a product heated to 75 ° C had a higher water content, higher water resistance and higher utilization and was also higher compared to a product heated to 90 ° C. Overall, the results indicate that a fat summer marker could be well suited for the processing of canned and hot-smoked products.
Atlantic Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) is a novel species in Iceland and as a fatty fish with a short shelf-life it requires optimization of storage and processing conditions. Physicochemical changes of brined and un-brined mackerel were analyzed during frozen storage (6, 9, 12 months) at -18 ° C vs. -25 ° C with the aim of investigating the suitability of using well-fed frozen mackerel as raw material for canned and hot-smoked products. Heat treatments to a core temperature of 90 ° C (representing canning) and 75 ° C (representing hot-smoking) were applied. Prolonged frozen storage showed negative effects on the raw material prior to heat processing due to an increased level of lipid oxidation, where fish stored at -18 ° C was of significantly poorer quality than fish stored at -25 ° C. Moreover, the results indicated that heat treatment resulting in a core temperature of 75 ° C showed higher water content, liquid holding capacity, heating yield as well as lower maximum shear force of texture compared to mackerel heated to a core temperature of 90 ° C. Overall, analyzes indicated that the fatty summer mackerel was well suited for the production of canned and hot-smoked products.