Quality of raw and cooked fillets of Atlantic salmon farmed in the Arctic : effect of dietary oil and thawing temperature

Abstract

The fatty acid content in fillets of Atlantic salmon cultured in the Arctic and fed diets containing varying levels of EPA and DHA (low, medium or high) was assessed. Also, dietary effects on fillet color and liquid holding capacity were investigated and analyses were performed in different areas of the salmon fillet in both raw and cooked products. The fillet fatty acid composition, texture, and color of thawed (4oC and 20oC) and cooked fillet of the various dietary groups were determined. Gutted weight (kg), length (cm), condition factor and fillet yield (%) were higher in the S1s (smolts transferred to seawater in spring) than S0s (underyearlings transferred in autumn). C18:1n9c (oleic acid) had the highest concentration with TestS showing higher concentration than TestP for the S0 salmon. Increasing dietary inclusion of EPA & DHA increases the fillet EPA and DHA composition in both S0 and S1 groups. TestS had a higher color score than TestP with SalmoFan scores for ventral fillet region (thawed at 4oC and cooked). Thawing at 20oC increased driploss in TestS than TestP. Temperature, time of transfer to sea water, sampling time and point accounted for most of the differences seen in the diets of the S0s or S1 salmon.