Absence of nematodes in farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) in Norway

In the present study, a total of 1,180 samples of muscle or viscera from Norwegian-farmed salmon (Salmo salar L.) were examined for the presence of nematode larvae. The samples represented all salmon-producing counties in Norway. The method applied was based on the degradation of fish soft tissue in an acidified pepsin enzyme solution. None of the samples examined in this study contained nematodes.     

Dietary accumulation efficiencies and biotransformation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

The consumer safety of farm-raised salmon could be improved by determining the transfer efficiency of hazardous pollutants from fish feed to the salmon. A controlled feeding trial for 30 weeks was carried out to investigate the transfer of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Using three feed concentrations, an average of 95% of the total PBDE content of feed accumulated in whole salmon. Skinned fillet accumulated 42-59% of the PBDE intake. Equal partitioning according to the lipid content of the tissue was demonstrated. The formation of less brominated PBDEs via preferential debromination from the meta-position was thought to explain the exceptional accumulation efficiencies of BDE 47, BDE 66, BDE 75, BDE 119 and BDE 183 that were either >100% or else increasing with the exposure dose. Monitoring of a larger number of PBDE congeners is recommended to verify the biotransformation routes. The PBDE concentration in salmon of different ages, fed on a known concentration of PBDEs in fish feed, could be predicted by using the accumulation efficiencies determined in this study.     

Collagen content in farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar,L.) and subsequent changes in solubility during storage on ice

To elucidate whether collagen is an important factor for fish flesh quality, the collagen content and its changes in solubility during storage on ice in muscle of farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar, L.) were measured. The contents of acidsoluble, pepsin-soluble and insoluble collagen in white muscle were determined in fresh fish muscle and at the end of 5, 10 and 15 days storage on ice. Total collagen was found to be 0.66% of fresh weight, with a relative distribution of 6% acidsoluble, 93% pepsin-soluble and 1% insoluble collagen. During storage on ice, a progressive change in solubility of muscle collagen was found. For insoluble collagen, significantly lower values were detected at day 15 compared to day 0. A minor, but even increase in acid-soluble collagen was found from day 0, while no changes were seen in pepsin-soluble collagen during storage. These results show that collagen fibres of farmed Atlantic salmon have a high solubility in acid and salt solutions and contain few cross-links. Some cleavage of intermolecular cross-links seems to occur during storage on ice.     

Fatty acid composition in ocean-ranched Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Summary  The difference in fat content and fatty acid composition in the muscle of one-and two-year-old ocean-ranched Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) was studied and compared using spot samples. The fat content in the muscle of 1-year-old salmon was 4.8% of wet weight, and 5.0% in 2-year-old salmon. The effect was not statistically significant. The main constituents of the fat were palmitic acid (16:0), oleic acid (18:1,n-9), gadoleic acid (20:1,n-9) and erucic acid (22:1,n-9). Eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were predominant among the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). There was a significant difference between the groups in relation to the content of stearic acid (18:0), palmitoleic acid (16:1,n-9) and oleic acid (18:1,n-9).     

Listeria monocytogenes in an Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) processing environment

The behavior of two strains of Listeria monocytogenes (147 and ATCC 19111) was evaluated at different stages of salmon processing. At lower temperatures of 2, 7, and 11 degrees C, L. monocytogenes survived on dry wood surfaces for at least 3 days without added nutrients but was unrecoverable after 2 days at 22 degrees C. Moisture or minimal nutrients on the wood surface increased viability of L. monocytogenes at all incubation temperatures. When large amounts of nutrients were provided, the recoveries of L. monocytogenes at low temperatures (< or = 11 degrees C) were essentially unchanged over the 3-day holding period, and rapid growth was observed at room temperature. In the presence of natural microflora, L. monocytogenes died off rapidly in seawater within 36 h at room temperature. When held at < or = 11 degrees C, L. monocytogenes lost viability throughout storage but was still detectable after more than 6 days of incubation. In the absence of natural microflora, both strains of L. monocytogenes were static during the holding period at all temperatures. At 2, 7, and 11 degrees C, L. monocytogenes in nonsterile salmon blood-water remained viable even after 6 days of incubation, whereas in sterile blood-water, growth of L. monocytogenes was observed at 7 and 11 degrees C. In the absence of natural microflora, L. monocytogenes grew better than it did in the presence of natural microflora. L. monocytogenes 147 was more competitive with background organisms than was L. monocytogenes ATCC 19111. No L. monocytogenes could be detected in the digestive tract of salmon 3 days after its introduction. The survival pattern of L. monocytogenes in fish digestive tracts was similar, regardless of whether the fish were feeding or not. A noticeable decline in the pathogen was observed as early as 3 h after introduction.     

Injection-salting of pre rigor fillets of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

ABSTRACT:  The effects of temperature (−1, 4, and 10 °C), brine concentration (12% and 25% NaCl), injection volumes, and needle densities were investigated on fillet weight gain (%), salt content (%), fillet contraction (%), and muscle gaping in pre rigor brine-injected fillets of Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ). Increased brine concentration (12% to 25%) significantly increased the initial (< 5 min after injection) and final contraction (24 h after injection) of pre rigor fillets. Increased brine concentration significantly reduced weight gain and increased salt content but had no significant effect on muscle gaping. The temperatures tested did not significantly affect weight gain, fillet contraction, or gaping score. Significant regressions ( P < 0.01) between the injection volume and weight gain (range: 2.5% to 15.5%) and salt content (range: 1.7% to 6.5%) were observed for injections of pre rigor fillets. Double injections significantly increased the weight gain and salt content compared to single injections. Initial fillet contraction measured 30 min after brine injection increased significantly ( P < 0.01) with increasing brine injection volume but no significant difference in the fillet contraction was observed 12 h after brine injection (range: 7.9% to 8.9%). Brine-injected post rigor control fillets obtained higher weight gain, higher salt content, more muscle gaping, and significantly lower fillet contraction compared to the pre rigor injected fillets.
Injection-salting is an applicable technology as a means to obtain satisfactory salt contents and homogenously distribute the salt into the muscle of pre rigor fillets of Atlantic salmon before further processing steps such as drying and smoking.     

Quality grading of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) by computer vision

ABSTRACT:  In this study, we present a promising method of computer vision-based quality grading of whole Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ). Using computer vision, it was possible to differentiate among different quality grades of Atlantic salmon based on the external geometrical information contained in the fish images. Initially, before the image acquisition, the fish were subjectively graded and labeled into grading classes by a qualified human inspector in the processing plant. Prior to classification, the salmon images were segmented into binary images, and then feature extraction was performed on the geometrical parameters of the fish from the grading classes. The classification algorithm was a threshold-based classifier, which was designed using linear discriminant analysis. The performance of the classifier was tested by using the leave-one-out cross-validation method, and the classification results showed a good agreement between the classification done by human inspectors and by the computer vision. The computer vision-based method classified correctly 90% of the salmon from the data set as compared with the classification by human inspector. Overall, it was shown that computer vision can be used as a powerful tool to grade Atlantic salmon into quality grades in a fast and nondestructive manner by a relatively simple classifier algorithm. The low cost of implementation of today's advanced computer vision solutions makes this method feasible for industrial purposes in fish plants as it can replace manual labor, on which grading tasks still rely.     

Gelatinolytic activities in muscle of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), spotted wolffish (Anarhichas minor) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

The gelatinolytic activity in muscle from Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), spotted wolffish (Anarhichas minor) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) was studied using gelatin SDS‐PAGE, gelatin affinity chromatography and enzyme inhibitors. These fish species are known to differ markedly in fillet softening and gaping post mortem. Atlantic cod, which is a promising species for cold water marine aquaculture, often shows such negative properties, particularly after being well fed. Gelatinolytic activity bands were present in all three species. Using gelatin chromatography and enzyme inhibitors, both serine proteinases and metalloproteinases were detected in wolffish and cod muscle, while only the latter were found in salmon muscle. Activation of the metalloproteinases by p‐aminophenylmercuric acetate (APMA) resulted in a shift in activity from higher to lower molecular weight, as is known for mammalian matrix metalloproteinases. In all three species the molecular weight of the metalloproteinases was lowered from approximately 80 to about 70 kDa by activating with APMA. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Dietary DNA in blood and organs of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

The objective of this study was to investigate the uptake of dietary DNA into blood, kidney, and liver of salmon, and to determine the DNA fragment size if dietary DNA was detected. Salmon in groups of five fish were force-fed a feed containing a high copy number of three polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified DNA fragments. Tissue samples were dissected from the fish at time intervals starting at 1 h after force-feeding (AFF) and ending at 64 h AFF. Real-time PCR analyses were used to determine the presence or absence of DNA targets. Sensitive methods amplifying small fragments were used to minimise the impact of fragmentation on the detectability of DNA targets. Uptake of dietary DNA was observed and the highest concentrations of dietary DNA in liver and kidney were found 8 h AFF. The results correspond to data published for similar trials performed on other animal species. An additional experiment showed that decontamination of the liver surface by flaming has the potential to decrease DNA contamination from, for example, feed remnants by up to 90%.     

Tissue distribution and elimination of deoxynivalenol and ochratoxin A in dietary-exposed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

ABSTRACT

Post-smolt Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) were fed standard feed with added 2 or 6 mg kg^–1 pure deoxynivalenol (DON), 0.8 or 2.4 mg kg^–1 pure ochratoxin A (OTA), or no added toxins for up to 8 weeks. The experiments were performed in duplicate tanks with 25 fish each per diet group, and the feed was given for three 2-h periods per day. After 3, 6 and 8 weeks, 10 fish from each diet group were sampled. In the following hours after the last feeding at 8 weeks, toxin elimination was studied by sampling three fish per diet group at five time points. Analysis of DON and OTA in fish tissues and plasma was conducted by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-pressure liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection, respectively. DON was distributed to the liver, kidney, plasma, muscle, skin and brain, and the concentrations in liver and muscle increased significantly from 3 to 8 weeks of exposure to the high-DON diet. After the last feeding at 8 weeks, DON concentration in liver reached a maximum at 1 h and decreased thereafter with a half-life (t_1/2) of 6.2 h. DON concentration in muscle reached a maximum at 6 h and was then eliminated with a t_1/2 = 16.5 h. OTA was mainly found in liver and kidney, and the concentration in liver decreased significantly from 3 to 8 weeks in the high-OTA group. OTA was eliminated faster than DON from various tissues. By using Norwegian food consumption data and kinetic findings in this study, we predicted the human exposure to DON and OTA from fish products through carryover from the feed. Following a comparison with tolerable daily intakes, we found the risk to human health from the consumption of salmon-fed diets containing maximum recommended levels of these toxins to be negligible.     

Effects of freezing and thawing processes on the quality of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fillets

ABSTRACT:  High-pressure processing is finding a growing interest in the food industry. Among the advantages of this emerging process is the ability to favorably freeze and thaw food. This study aims at comparing the effect of different freezing and thawing processes on the quality of Atlantic salmon fillets. Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) samples were frozen by Pressure-Shift Freezing (PSF, 200 MPa, −18 °C) and Air-Blast Freezing (ABF, −30 °C, 4 m/s). Samples were stored 1 mo at −20 °C and then subjected to different thawing treatments: Air-Blast Thawing (ABT, 4 °C, 4 m/s), Immersion Thawing (IMT, 20 °C), and Pressure-Assisted Thawing (PAT, 200 MPa, 20 °C). Changes in texture, color, and drip loss were investigated. The toughness of the PSF samples was higher than that of the ABF sample. The modification of color was more important during high-pressure process than during the conventional process. The PSF process reduced thawing drip compared with ABF. The presence of small ice crystals in the pressure-shift frozen sample is probably the major reason leading to the reduced drip volumes. The freezing process was generally much more influent on quality parameters than the thawing process. These results show the interaction between freezing and thawing processes on selected quality parameters.     

Cloning, pharmacological characterization, and expression analysis of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) nuclear progesterone receptor

To better understand the role(s) of progestogens during early stages of spermatogenesis, we carried out studies on the nuclear progesterone receptor (Pgr) of the Atlantic salmon. Its open-reading frame shows the highest similarity with other piscine Pgr proteins. When expressed in mammalian cells, salmon Pgr exhibited progestogen-specific, dose-dependent induction of reporter gene expression, with 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP) showing the highest potency. We then analyzed testicular pgr mRNA and DHP plasma levels in animals during the onset of spermatogenesis, which were exposed to natural light or to constant light, to induce significant differences in testis growth. Grouping of the animals according to their progress through spermatogenesis showed that testicular pgr mRNA levels as well as DHP plasma levels first increased when germ cells had reached the stage of late type B spermatogonia and further increased when entered meiosis, i.e. when spermatocytes were present. However, in situ hybridization studies revealed that pgr mRNA expression was restricted to Sertoli cells, with a strong signal in Sertoli cells contacting type A/early type B spermatogonia, while Sertoli cells contacting larger germ cell clones with further differentiated stages (e.g. late type B spermatogonia) were less intensely/not stained. We conclude that the increase in pgr mRNA levels per pair of testis reflects, at least in part, the increased number of Sertoli cells enveloping type A and early type B spermatogonia. We propose that Sertoli cell-expressed Pgr may mediate DHP-stimulated early steps in spermatogenesis in Atlantic salmon, such as an increase in the number of new spermatogonial cysts.     

Relation of smoking parameters to the yield,colour and sensory quality of smoked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

The relations between smoking parameters and the characteristics of salmon raw material were investigated with respect to yield, colour, flesh content of phenol and salt, and sensory properties. The fish studied were ocean ranched salmon harvested in Iceland in July 1998 and farmed salmon from Norway slaughtered in October 1998 and April 1999. Seven treatments were applied on fresh or frozen raw material combining dry or brine salting with cold smoking at 20 or 30°C. Electrostatic smoking was tested on dry-salted salmon fillets. The results show a lower yield after filleting and trimming with ocean ranched fish. Although freezing had little effect on yield, total loss was slightly greater, especially for fish with low fat content. Sensory differences were also apparent. The brine salting technique resulted in lower losses. Fish with higher fat content gave a better yield after processing, although careful control of the smoking procedure was required (especially at 30°C) to avoid a case-hardening effect. With brine salting, salt uptake was higher for smaller, leaner fish. The phenol content of flesh depended on the technique and/or smoking temperature used, regardless of the fish studied. However, for a smoking temperature of 30°C, the flesh of smaller, leaner fish showed a higher phenol level. Smoking conditions and preliminary treatment such as freezing produced similar differences in sensory characteristics, regardless of the fish studied, although smaller, leaner individuals appeared to be more sensitive to these processes.     

Bioamplification and the selective depletion of persistent organic pollutants in Chinook salmon larvae

The maternal provisioning of yolk to eggs transfers significant quantities of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). As yolk utilization progresses via metabolic activity, there is a potential to realize further increases in POP concentrations if yolk lipids are depleted at a faster rate than POPs, a condition referred to as bioamplification. This study investigated the bioamplification of POPs in Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) eggs and larvae. Chinook eggs were sampled from the Credit River, ON, Canada, and brought to an aquaculture facility where they were fertilized, incubated, and maintained posthatch until maternally derived lipid reserves became depleted (approximately 168 days). The loss of chemicals having an octanol-water partition coefficient (log K(OW)) greater than 5.8 was slow to negligible from days 0-135. However, during the increase in water temperatures in early spring, K(OW)-dependent elimination of POPs was observed. Bioamplification was maximized for the highest log K(OW) POPs, with an approximate 5-fold increase in lipid equivalents concentrations in 168 day old larvae as compared to newly fertilized eggs. This study demonstrates that later yolk-sac Chinook larvae (before exogenous feeding) are exposed to higher lipid equivalents POP concentrations than predicted by maternal deposition, which could lead to underestimates in the toxicity of critical life stages.     

The quality of cold-smoked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) as affected by salting method, time and temperature

The effects of temperature (4 and 10–12 °C) and time (6, 12 and 24 h) on colorimetric parameters (Commission International de l'Eclairage (CIE) L*a*b*), carotenoid concentration, salt content and yield were investigated in brine (saturated or 50% saturation) and dry salted fillets of cold‐smoked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Lightness (L*), yellowness (b*), hue (H_ab) and chroma (C*) values were lower at 10 than 4 °C (P < 0.01), whereas redness (a*) was unaffected. L* increased (P < 0.05) and a*, b*, H_ab and C* values dropped when salting time was increased (P < 0.001). Astaxanthin concentration of brine‐salted fillets decreased with increasing salting time (P < 0.05), but was unaffected by salting temperature. Increasing salting time affected colour negatively. The salt content of dry salted fillets increased with temperature and salting time. The process yield was unaffected by temperature and decreased with salting time. In conclusion, the cold smoking process is more important for variation in quality parameters than the salting process.     

Persistence of orally administered Salmonella enterica serovars Agona and Montevideo in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

The objective of our experiments was to study the persistence and dissemination of orally administered Salmonella in smoltified Atlantic salmon. In experiment 1, salmon kept at 15 degrees C were fed for 1 week with feed contaminated with 96 most-probable-number units of Salmonella Agona per 100 g of feed and then starved for 2 weeks. Samples were taken from the gastrointestinal tract and examined for Salmonella 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16 days after the feeding ended. In experiment 2, Salmonella Agona and Montevideo were separately mixed with feed and administered by gastric intubation. Each fish received 1.0 x 10(8), 1.0 x 10(6), or 1.0 x 10(4) CFU. The different groups were kept in parallel at 5 and 15 degrees C and observed for 4 weeks. Every week, three fish in each group were sacrificed, and samples were taken from the skin, the pooled internal organs, the muscle, and the gastrointestinal tract and examined for the presence of Salmonella. The results from the two experiments showed that the persistence of Salmonella in the fish was highly dependent on the dose administered. Salmonella was not recovered from any of the fish that were fed for 1 week with the lowest concentration of Salmonella. In the fish given the highest dose of Salmonella, bacteria persisted for at least 4 weeks in the gastrointestinal tract as well as, to some extent, the internal organs. The present study shows that under practical conditions in Norway, the risk of Salmonella in fish feed being passed on to the consumer of the fish is negligible.