Abstract
Swordfish is the most widespread billfish in the aquatic environment. The industrial processing of swordfish fillets involves salting, drying, and smoking steps. Salting techniques, dry or wet, are the most common method of fish preservation. This work evaluated salt diffusion in swordfish fillets after traditional dry salting and wet industrial injection salting methods. The data obtained from the dry salting studies highlighted that the salt diffusion process in swordfish meat was an unfavorable process depending on the contact time with the salt/meat. Moreover, irregularly shaped fillets negatively affected the salt migration in the different areas, leading to inhomogeneous and possibly unsafe final products. On the contrary, wet injection salting was suitable for processing swordfish fillets. As a result, the final products had a homogeneous salt concentration, maintained the organoleptic characteristics and health benefits for a long period, and achieved a longer shelf-life. Furthermore, the water activity (aw) values detected for the different processed fillets confirmed the physicochemical features of the final products and allow the classification of safe products. Moreover, injection salting is a quick process compatible with industrial production times.
Highlights
Swordfish (Xiphias gladius), a pelagic fish of the Xiphidae family, live in different marine environments, such as the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans and the temperate waters of the Mediterranean Sea [1]
The fresh swordfish fillets analyzed in the study (a) had a NaCl content of 0.26 ± 9.31 (% ± RSD%), whereas the average value after the industrial process was 2.39 ± 5.29 (% ± RSD%) (Table 1)
This paper examines NaCl diffusion in swordfish fillets following different salting approaches to reduce the NaCl content in food and improve human health
Summary
Swordfish (Xiphias gladius), a pelagic fish of the Xiphidae family, live in different marine environments, such as the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans and the temperate waters of the Mediterranean Sea [1]. Different processing technologies can be applied to swordfish, such as salting, drying, smoking, and marinating, to extend market shelf life [2]. Injection of salt solutions, and brining are the most used [8]. The diffusion of salt is driven by the NaCl gradient between the outer and inner layers of the muscle. It depends on fish species, fat content, muscle fiber, skin, fillet thickness, temperature, salting technology, state and quality of the meat, and the surface:volume ratio of the meat [9].
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