Quality Assessment of Lightly Salted Atlantic Salmon Fillets Injected With Brine Solutions Containing Sodium Bicarbonate

Abstract

The objective of this study was to produce lightly salted Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) fillets with improved technical and sensory attributes. Brine containing 0, 50, 150 or 250 g/L NaCl with or without additional 25 g/L sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) was injected into the fillets. 24 hours after injection, the muscle NaCl concentration ranged from 0.2 to 2.4%, and pH ranged from 6.18 to 6.48. Untreated fillets lost 1% weight, whereas the weight increase was 4% of the fillets injected with NaCl or a combination of NaCl and NaHCO 3 . Liquid loss (LL) during storage at 4°C for three days were similar for the untreated fillets and the fillets injected with 50 g/L NaCl (LL 12%), while LL was reduced to 7.5% with the addition of NaHCO 3 to the 50 g/L brine. LL was the lowest for the groups injected with 250 g/L NaCl. Injection of NaCl resulted in higher lipid oxidation compared with untreated fillets, determined as doubled levels of alkanals (4.3 vs. 10.4 ng/g) and pentenols (8.0 vs. 15.1 ng/g), but addition of NaHCO 3 counteracted the action of NaCl as a pro-oxidant. Furthermore, NaHCO 3 addition of the 50 g/L brine significantly improved the color of raw and cooked fillets (higher a*-value, Salmo Fan score, red/orange color tone). Sensory assessment of cooked fillet revealed that brine added NaHCO 3 gave superior odor (less rancid), flavor (less metallic) and higher scores for tenderness. In conclusion, addition of NaHCO 3 to the brine solutions improved liquid retention, storage stability, color, odor and flavor of lightly salted salmon fillets.

Effect of sodium bicarbonate and varying concentrations of sodium chloride in brine on the liquid retention of fish (Pollachius virens L.) muscle

“…Brines with added NaHCO 3 have been shown to cause flesh darkening and improved texture, aroma and shelf life of fish fillets . The flesh of gadoids should preferably have a light and glossy appearance, so darkening associated with elevated muscle pH and protein denaturation leading to a changed pattern of light reflection is not desirable.…”

“…solubility and water binding) are important during and after processing, as they influence the proteins' ability to interact with other components and thus affect the overall product quality . Salting with a combination of NaCl and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) has shown improved yield and liquid retention in fish and other meat products, coinciding with enhanced texture, flavor and odor, reduced development of unpleasant volatile organic compounds and darker flesh color . Recently it was also shown that the effects of NaHCO 3 are dependent on the concentration of NaCl …”

“…NaHCO 3 is an amphoteric compound with good buffering capacity; aqueous solutions become mildly alkaline owing to the formation of hydroxide ions (OH − ) and carbonic acid (H 2 CO 3 ), which is predominantly in the form of bicarbonate (HCO 3 − ) between pH 6.4 and 10.3. When used in fish and meat products, NaHCO 3 is known to raise the muscle pH and hence also alter the protein configuration …”

“…Our previous studies showed that NaCl concentrations in the range 50–150 g kg −1 in combination with NaHCO 3 improved yield and liquid retention of injection‐salted fish fillets . This study aimed to investigate interactions between NaHCO 3 and a wide range of NaCl concentrations on protein–water interactions and microstructure in brined saithe muscle using LF‐NMR and microscopy in combination with traditional meat quality measurements.…”

Influence of controlled freezing-point temperature on the freshness and taste of pickled and dried grass carp

“…Most of fish was added in excess salt to extend shelf life but were not effectively dried to maintain quality after pickling, leading to sharply decrease on the safety of products and potential harm to consumers' health [1]. And lower salt content was proved to be effective on the stability of storage and sensory attributes [2].…”