Wild caught cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) chilled in slurry or flake ice and its effect on product quality.

Abstract

Chilling is an essential preservation technology in fish-processing. Slurry systems offer seafood preservation at sub-zero temperatures with advantages like faster chilling, reduced physical damage and prolonged shelf life. The study was conducted on wild caught cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) in an industry setting. A seawater slurry at −2.0 ± 0.3°C was used, and cod and haddock were stored in ice or slurry for 8 days. The effect of chilling in seawater slurry compared to traditional flake ice, was evaluated by sensory evaluation (QIM) of whole fish, colour changes and texture of fillets, water content, water activity and water-holding capacity (WHC) in minced muscle. The results showed that chilling in slurry was faster, and gave lower temperatures compared to flake ice. However, slurry stored fish had worse QI-values and had yellower fillets compared to ice.