Linseed oil inclusion in sea bream diets: effect on muscle quality and shelf life

Abstract

Dietary lipid source in aquaculture has become a central topic in research whilst natural resources availability diminishes. Hence, to weigh up and forecast consumers impressions, the impact of partial (70%) and complete (100%) dietary replacement of fish oil (FO) by linseed oil (LO) on sensory and quality attributes was studied during the edible shelf life of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata). Physico-chemical parameters (pH, torrymeter, total volatile basic nitrogen, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and texture), and sensory analysis, both in cooked and raw fish were carried out during 17 days of ice storage. Throughout ice storage, feeding with LO diets, TBARS values remained lower on muscle than those found when feeding FO control diet. On freshly caught fish (day 0 of ice storage), statistically significant dietary texture variations were recorded on cooked fillet fed FO diet. No sensory differences on Quality Index Method, sensory profile or Torry scheme were found with partial or total LO replacement diets.