Effect of Blood Removal Protocol and Superchilling on Quality Parameters of Prerigor Filleted Farmed Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua)

Abstract

Traditionally farmed fish are slaughtered and processed over several steps, which often include live chilling, stunning, exsanguination, chilling, gutting, rinsing, decapitation, filleting before the fillets are packed into polystyrene boxes and shipped with ice. These processes are often time, laboring, space, and energy consuming. A novel processing line for filleting of farmed fish is gutting and filleting the fish directly after decapitation and replacing exsanguination with spray washing the fillets. In addition, all the cooling steps are replaced by superchilling the fillets. This novel process line gives fillets with comparable if not superior quality compared to the traditional process.

Bleeding Influencing Color, Physical-Chemical Quality, and Texture Profile of Pirarucu (Arapaima Gigas) from Amazon, Brazil

“…In partial agreement,Addeen et al (2017) studied the influence of different slaughter methods (bled and un-bled) on chicken texture and observed lower hardness in un-bled samples compared to their bled counterparts during 12 days of storage. Contrasting our results,Rotabakk et al (2014) observed similar hardness in bled and un-bled farmed Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) during seven days of storage.…”

“…This in turn, may have contributed to the increase of hardness in BLE samples. In partial agreement, Rotabakk et al (2014) reported greater hardness in bled samples compared to un-bled counterparts. In contrast, Addeen et al (2017) studied the influence of different slaughter methods (bled and un-bled) on the texture of chicken patties and observed a decrease of hardness both (bled and un-bled) during 12 days of storage.…”

“…In agreement, Digre et al (2011) observed similar WHC values in Atlantic cod muscle (Gadus morhua) subjected to harvest with and without bleeding. In contrast, Rotabakk et al (2014) studied the effect of blood removal in un-bled (direct gutting) and bled (gill cutting) farmed Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and documented that both bled and non-bled animals exhibited a decrease in WHC during seven days of storage.…”

The use of the so‐called ‘superchilling’ technique for the transport of fresh fishery products

“…During the storage/transport of fish in a box, the temperatures of CFFP will tend to approach the temperature of melting ice (0°C, provided that ice is made of freshwater) as long as there is still ice in the box. The initial temperature of the CFFP can be as high as 4-8°C depending on the temperature before the handling during gutting, heading, filleting and the conditions of handling itself (Rotabakk et al, 2014;EFSA BIOHAZ Panel, 2020). The temperature will decrease due to the cooling capacity of the ice in the box, tending to approach the temperature of melting ice.…”

“…Three studies included information on SFFP and CFFP samples simultaneously stored under identical outside temperature conditions. Rotabakk et al (2014) analysed the effect of storage of CFFP (ice:fish ratio 1:4, a = 0.25a = 0.25) and SFFP (superchilled in a nitrogen freezer at -60°C for 4 min) in cod fillets obtained after two different blood removal procedures (initial temperature 6.5°C). Fillets were packed in EPS boxes, transported (2 days) and stored (further 5 days) under the same chilled conditions (0-0.5°C).…”