This study developed fresh marine catfish (Sciades herzbergii) sausages with boneless fillets using up to 30% of smoked pork back fat (SPF) and evaluated the nutritional (protein, fat, moisture, ash, carbohydrates and energy value), physicochemical (weight loss, shrinkage, water holding capacity, instrumental texture and color and water activity), microbiological and sensory characteristics. The addition of up to 30% SPF in the sausages increased fat, ash, energy value, and decreased moisture and water activity. Concerning the physicochemical aspects, the increase in SPF increased the weight loss during cooking, shrinkage, lightness, redness and yellowness, and improved sensory properties of odor, flavor and overall acceptance. The sausages presented microbial counts according to the limits allowed for human consumption. Therefore, sausages made with marine catfish fillets presented suitable nutritional, physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory characteristics. However, although higher global acceptance scores were observed with the increase in SPF levels, no significant differences were detected from the inclusion of 10% SPF. Therefore, it is possible to produce fresh marine catfish sausages with a minimum of 10% SPF, to maintain satisfactory technological and sensory characteristics and a healthier appeal.

This study aimed to evaluate the concentrations of total (Ct) and thermotolerant coliforms (CT) in Anomalocardia brasiliana, Tagelus plebeius and in water from the Pina Basin (state of Pernambuco, Brazil) as well as to identify which of these species is the best indicator of organic pollution. The Most Probable Number (MPN) of coliforms was determined following the standard procedures used in microbiology. Possible associations with environmental factors, including precipitation, water temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen and the biochemical oxygen demand, were then analyzed. The amounts of coliforms found in the mollusks were greater than in the water.

Tunics hyperplasia of blood vessels can be quantified by a range of techniques that relate to modifications of area or thickness on histological sections. We studied hyperplasia of tunics of coronary arteries in a fish species, Rachycentron canadum for establishing the relationship between tunics and luminal obstruction by morphometry. The morphometric analysis was performed on 158 arterial vessels of 40 fish samples. The histological slides of cardiac and vascular tissue were stained using hematoxylin and eosin and observed under an optical microscope. The data relating to the proportion of the lumen area compared to the area of the tunic media were analyzed according to Beta regression models. The lumen proportion showed a decreasing relationship with weight and length of the analyzed animals. A linear relationship was not observed between lumen proportion and areas and/or radius of arterial tunics. It is concluded that the increase in weight gain contributes to a reduction of lumen area, leading to arterial obstruction without increasing or decreasing relationship between the proportion of vascular lumen and the thickness of arterial tunics. The set of abnormalities described are likely to be attributed to nutritional factors during the fish cultivation.