Changes in water holding capacity and drip loss of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) muscle during superchilled storage

Changes in water holding capacity and drip loss of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fillets during superchilled storage were studied. Due to the significant differences in ice crystal sizes observed in our previous study, the liquid loss (LL) was analysed separately, at the surface and centre of the superchilled samples. No significant differences were found in LL between surface and centre parts of the superchilled samples. No significant difference in the LL was observed from surface samples between 1 and 14 days of storage. There was a significant difference in the LL at day 1 of the centre samples, but no significant differences were observed between 3 and 14 days of storage. In contrast, the LL was significantly decreased at day 21 both at the centre and the surface of the superchilled samples. No significant difference (p < 0.05) was found in drip loss between 1 and 14 days of storage for the superchilled samples. A significant increase in drip loss for the superchilled samples was observed at day 21. These findings are significant for the industry because it provides valuable information on the quality of food in relation to ice crystallisation/recrystallisation during superchilled storage.     

Relationship of Product Structure,Sorption Characteristics,and Freezing Point of Atmospheric Freeze-Dried Foods

Drying is an important unit operation in processing of foods with a long shelf life. The drying process influences product properties and quality; the products may shrink, break, or undergo rheological, physical, and biochemical changes. Important parameters responsible for product quality changes during drying are temperature, relative humidity, and residence time. Studies of thermal and mass transfer properties during drying are essential for understanding the changes in product quality and for designing and dimensionalizing the drying process.

Drying kinetics, sorption properties, shrinkage, and freezing point depression were determined during atmospheric freeze drying (AFD) of pieces of apple, turnip cabbage, and cod. Adsorption rate and sorption isotherms were determined in the end product. The drying temperature affected the physical properties. Drying at ?5°C resulted in a larger shrinkage than drying at ?11°C. GAB modeling was used to characterize the sorption properties of the products. No typical sigmoidal shape was found of the moisture sorption isotherms of the products, which is in accordance with the Guggenheim constant found from the same results. Experimental data on freezing point depression were used to find product constants E and b in the Schwartzberg equation for the freezing point depression. Freezing point depression, as a function of the dry matter content, was determined using Schwartzberg's equation and a component composition model (CCM). The result indicates an influence of structural effects on freezing point depression.     

Relevance of season and nucleotide catabolism on changes in fillet quality during chilled storage of raw Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

Farmed 5–6 kg Atlantic salmon were pre-rigor filleted, vacuum packed and subsequently analysed after 1, 9 and 13 days of storage at 4 °C. The study was repeated in February, April, August and October. The conversion of hypoxanthine (Hx) showed the highest seasonal variation among the nucleotide metabolites, with an inverse relationship with sea temperature at harvesting (R² = 0.95–0.96). The Hx content was inversely related to fresh odour and flavour (R² = 0.81–0.83), but positively to tenderness (R² = 0.87). Hence, these results suggest that salmon reared in seawater of 11–15 °C (August–October) maintain a superior sensory quality for a longer period post-mortem than salmon reared at 6–8 °C (February–April). The colour intensity increased from days 1 to 9 post-mortem, probably due to rigor contraction. The highest increase in drip loss was observed in October and the lowest in April. It is proposed that seawater temperature significantly influences the storage life of raw salmon, and that Hx is a valuable biomarker for sensory quality.     

Effects of pre-slaughter stress on proteolytic enzyme activities and muscle quality of farmed Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)

Farmed Atlantic cod were subjected to a combination of stressors in a holding tank before being killed, pre rigor filleted and stored in ice. At slaughter, a higher level of stress was confirmed by blood physiology analyses. This was further associated with significantly reduced muscle pH and somewhat elevated muscle collagenase-like activity in the stressed fish, whereas no differences in cathepsin-like activities were found. After 5 days of iced storage, the stressed fish had significantly lower water holding capacity, reduced hardness and yellowish colour compared to the control group, and no differences in the other parameters investigated. Independent of pre-slaughter stress, the activities of cathepsin B- and B/L-like enzymes increased and activities of cathepsin D/E- and collagenase-like enzymes decreased with storage.     

Brines added sodium bicarbonate improve liquid retention and sensory attributes of lightly salted Atlantic cod

To meet the demand for low-salt products, the producers in the food industry are encouraged to reduce the sodium content in processed food. This study reports results of fresh and frozen farmed cod (Gadus morhua L.) fillets injected with varying amounts of NaCl solutions (0, 50, 150 and 250 g/L) with or without an additional 25 g/L sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃). Results showed improved yield, better liquid retention during storage, improved flavor, texture, and reduced formation of volatile lipid compounds for the samples injected with a combination of NaCl and NaHCO₃ compared with fillets injected with NaCl or NaHCO₃ only. Brine concentrations for optimum yield and liquid retention in both fresh and frozen cod fillets were found to be between 50 and 150 g/L NaCl with the addition of 25 g/L NaHCO₃. It is concluded that very lightly salted cod fillets with a high liquid retention and improved sensory attributes can be produced by treating the fillets with a combination of NaCl and NaHCO₃.     

Oxidation of cod phospholipids in liposomes: Effects of salts,pH and zeta potential

This work examines how different salts and pH influence both the zeta potential and the lipid oxidation rate of liposomes made from cod phospholipids. The rate of Fe²⁺‐induced lipid oxidation was measured by consumption of dissolved oxygen by liposomes in a closed vessel. Cations (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca⁺, Mg⁺) did not influence the rate of oxidation in the tested range [ionic strength (I) 0–0.14 M). Among the tested anions, sulphates and nitrates did not significantly change the oxygen uptake rate, but chlorides (KCl, NaCl, CaCl₂) reduced the oxidation rate down to approximately 45%, and dihydrogen phosphate down to 14%, when I = 0.14 M. The effect of Cl^? and H₂PO4₄^? was additive. Addition of salts increased the zeta potential of the liposomes, divalent cation salts even resulted in a positive zeta potential. When the liposomes contained different concentrations of chlorides, a linear relationship between oxygen uptake rate and zeta potential was observed. When phosphate was added, the oxygen uptake rate was not related to the changes in zeta potential. The decrease in pH was followed by an increase in zeta potential. The oxygen uptake rate did not change significantly at different positive zeta potentials (pH <3). When the zeta potential was negative, the oxygen uptake rate was influenced by the zeta potential and may also be influenced by iron solubility. Absolute values of the zeta potential alone cannot be used to predict oxidation rates.     

Comparative study on acid-induced gelation of myosin from Atlantic cod (Gardus morhua) and burbot (Lota lota)

Physicochemical and rheological properties of myosin from Atlantic cod and burbot during acid-induced gelation at room temperature (22–23 °C) by d-gluconic acid-δ-lactone (GDL) were monitored. Turbidity and particle size of both myosins increased and salt soluble content decreased when pH decreased, suggesting the formation of protein aggregates caused by acidification. The formation of disulphide bonds in myosin gelation was induced by acid. Ca²⁺-ATPase activity of myosin decreased (p < 0.05), while surface hydrophobicity increased during acidification (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the decreases in maximum transition temperature (T_max) and the denaturation enthalpies (ΔH) were found in both myosins. During acidification, the increases in storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) of myosin were observed (p < 0.05), revealing the formation of elastic gel matrix. Thus, gelation of myosin from Atlantic cod and burbot could take place under acidic pH via denaturation and aggregation. However, myosin from Atlantic cod was generally more favourable to gelation than was burbot myosin.     

An 8-bit, 10 kHz, 5.1 μW, 0.18 μm CMOS SAR ADC for RFID applications with sensing capabilities

An 5.1 μW, 1.8 V, 8-bit, successive approximation (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) using 10 kHz clock was designed and fabricated in a 0.18 μm CMOS technology for passive UHF radio frequency identification (RFID) applications. The ADC utilises a resistive digital to analog converter (DAC). The ADC can operate with low power consumption. The proposed comparator with cascode active load can offer large gain and can operate at a low supply voltage. The measured total power consumption is 5.1 μW at a 10 kHz input clock with a 1.8 V single supply, and 0.5 μW with 970 mV supply.