Quality Changes During Salt-Curing of Cod (Gadus morhua) at Different Temperatures

ABSTRACT

The main aim of this study was to assess the quality changes and their causes during cod salt-curing for up to 76 days at different temperatures and a relative humidity below 80%. Salt-curing made the fish more yellow (L*a*b* scale), a color change that is more easily detected in sensory analysis against a cream color scale. Intense proteolytic breakdown took place at 12 and 18°C, leading to a greater proteolysis degree and a higher pH. A red surface discoloration of the flesh was apparent after 76 days at 18°C due to the high number of red-halophilic bacteria. These bacteria were also responsible for the highest intensity of “off”-odors and mucus obtained under these conditions. Cod salt-curing should be done below 12°C to reduce the spoilage activity of halophilic bacteria and is best done at chill temperature (close to 6°C) to obtain a good quality product.     

Fatty Acids Profile,Atherogenic, Thrombogenic,and Polyene Lipid Indices in Golden Grey Mullet (Liza aurata) and Gold Band Goatfish (Upeneus moluccensis) from Mediterranean Sea

ABSTRACT

The aim of this work was to study the seasonal variations of the proximate compositions, fatty acids contents, and related lipid indices (atherogenic index [AI], thrombogenic index [TI], and polyene index [PI]) of golden grey mullet (Liza aurata) and gold band goatfish (Upeneus moluccensis) caught from the northeastern Mediterranean Sea. Proximate compositions and fatty acid contents of both fish species showed statistically significant seasonal variations (p < 0.05). The lipid contents were highest in autumn and lowest in winter in golden grey mullet and gold band goatfish. The main saturated and unsaturated fatty acids were palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), palmiteoleic acid (C16:1n-7), oleic acid (18:1n-9c), arachidonic acid (C20:4n-6), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n-3), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6n-3). The total polyunsaturated fatty acids in gold band goatfish did not show any differences among the seasons, whereas that in golden grey mullet was highest in winter. Levels of EPA, DHA, and n-3/n-6 ratios, as well as AI, TI, and PI, were significantly changed among seasons. The results show that golden grey mullet and gold band goatfish, which are among the important fish in Turkey and of commercial value, are a good source for human consumption in terms of their nutritional quality.     

Effect of Soluble CO2 Stabilization on the Quality of Fillets from Farmed Gilthead Sea Bream (Sparus aurata) and European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

ABSTRACT

Soluble gas stabilization (SGS) is a relatively recent methodology of active packaging that has been proposed to extend the shelf life of packaged fish. The aim of the present work was to study the effect of SGS applied at different extents (2 bars: 30 and 60 min) on the shelf life of sea bream and sea bass fillets packed in air during chilled storage. Quality changes were evaluated by sensory assessment, microbiological analysis (TVC), TBARs, pH value, TVB-N, and TMA-N. No significant extension of sensory shelf life was visible as a function of SGS treatment. The treatment of fillets in CO₂ at 2 bars during 60 min had a positive effect on the microbiological shelf life of both species. On the other hand, TMA-N and TVB-N showed similar changes during storage period and were not affected by the CO₂ treatment. Sea bream treated with SGS always presented higher TBARs than control samples. Nevertheless, oxidation of sea bream and in particular, of sea bass fillets, did not appear to be a significant problem during chilled storage.     

Feasibility Study of a Fish By-Product Recovery Plant with a Processing Capacity of 1,000 kg/Day

ABSTRACT

This study evaluates the feasibility of producing hamburger, silage, and leather using fish by-products in a medium-sized recovery plant with total capacity of processing up to 1,000 kg/day of whole fish. The average volume of fish by-products generated daily was 673 kg. The investment necessary to introduce these three technologies was US$47,193.13 in 1 year. The average cost to produce 1 kg of hamburger, silage, and leather was 1.24, 0.17, and US$1.77, respectively. The return of the investment was 56.16%, and the net present value US$570,582.16. The investment pay back was realized in 3.88 years, with a benefit/cost relationship of 1.31. For all the studied scenarios, sale price variations most influenced the economical parameters analyzed.     

A toxicity bioassay study concerning the effect of un-ionized ammonia on the mucus cells response originating from the gills of zebrafish Danio rerio

Ammonia is one of the most common and pervasive pollutants in the aquatic habitat affecting the health of aquatic animals. It affects the number and morphology of mucus producing cells, resulting in excessive and irregular secretion and alterations in quantity of mucus, which can lead to complications in fish health. A toxicity test on the mucus cells localized on the gills (primary lamellae) and inner operculum epithelial lining of zebrafish Danio rerio at different periods of exposure (24, 48 and 72 h) followed by recovery periods was studied using histopathology, scanning electron microscopy and anterior gradient 2 homologue (agr2) gene expression techniques. Fish samples subjected to low, medium and high external toxic ammonia concentrations (L: 17.21 mg/l, M: 25.81 mg/l and H: 38.91 mg/l NH₃-N) were observed to display a higher mucus layer production and active secretion compared with the control. Gill cellular alterations were more severe at 48 and 72 h. A high expression of agr2 was detected at 48 h (L and M) recovery periods and a (H) exposure and recovery period indicating an increase in quantity in newly proliferated alcian blue stained mucus cells and excessive secretion observed by histopathology. Such expression decreased at 72 h resulting in a decrease in mucus cell density and secretion.     

Dispersant use as a response to oil spills: toxicological effects on fish cardiac performance

Dispersant use is a controversial technique used to respond to oil spills in nearshore areas. In order to assess the toxicity of this technique, this study evaluated the cardiac toxicological effects on juvenile golden grey mullets Liza aurata exposed for 48 h to either dispersant alone, chemically dispersed oil, mechanically dispersed oil, the water-soluble fraction of oil or a control condition. Following exposure, the positive inotropic effects of adrenaline were assessed in order to evaluate a potential impairment on the cardiac performance. The results revealed an impairment of the positive inotropic effects of adrenaline for all the contaminants (single dispersant, dispersed and undispersed oil, water-soluble fraction of oil). This suggests that: (1) cardiac performance is a valuable parameter to study the physiopathological effects of dispersed oil; (2) dispersant application is likely to impair cardiac performance.     

Self-thinning dynamics in experimental scallop populations

Self-thinning-related mortality has been encountered in extensively cultured scallop populations. Here we report an experiment aimed at studying actual population dynamics of scallops undergoing self-thinning and develop a model of the process. Scallops were kept in small tanks at various initial population densities. Growth and survival were monitored for 39 months. Two cohorts were monitored (cohorts 1 and 2 were 1 and 2 years old, respectively). Growth was density-dependent in cohort 2. Survivorship was high in cohort 1 during the first summer but mass mortality occurred during the second summer. Mortality in cohort 2 peaked during the first summer. In both cohorts, peak mortality occurred at age 2+ years and thus was uncoupled among cohorts. Therefore, negative environmental factors are ruled out as explanations of mortality. Instead, it appears as if self-thinning interacted with some ontogenetic factor. Although cohort 1 was undergoing self-thinning, trends in biomass–density curves were non-monotonous because of mass mortality. In contrast, self-thinning in cohort 2 followed a classical pattern. One possible mechanism for such contrasting differences was that 1+-year-old scallops produced byssal threads and attached to one another during the first year, forming multilayered clumps. This behaviour disappeared during the second year and mass mortality was experienced as scallops adopted a single-layered arrangement. Although details may differ among species, the process depicted above provides a potential trigger to the sequence of events leading to mass mortality in scallop culture. Our model suggests that self-thinning occurred in all density groups, with a common slope but with different elevations in the biomass–density space.     

Detection of resistance to acetohydroxyacid synthase inhibitors in Amaranthus sp. using DNA polymorphisms

Resistance to acetohydroxyacid synthase inhibitors is very widespread worldwide and is generally due to various point mutations in the gene coding for the target enzyme. Rapid resistance confirmation is key for the proper management of resistance. We aimed at determining whether two DNA-based tests, PCR-RFLP and PCR amplification of specific alleles (PASA), could reliably identify common AHAS mutations in Amaranthus sp., and whether individual tests could be multiplexed. DNA was extracted from eight populations of Amaranthus powellii and Amaranthus retroflexus possessing four different resistance alleles. Gains or losses of endonuclease recognition sites due to the presence of resistance alleles allowed reliable detection of all alleles. PASA used an allele-specific primer with a 3′-terminal mismatch to wildtype DNA to selectively amplify a resistance allele. All four resistance alleles were efficiently identified with PASA. Both tests were multiplexed to allow more efficient identification of resistance and up to four distinct mutations could be revealed by a single test. Those tests were relatively easy to use, inexpensive and allowed quick identification of resistance.     

Ontogenetic variation of food intake and gut evacuation rate in larvae of the doncella Pseudoplatystoma punctifer,as measured using a non‐destructive method

Food intake (FI) and gut evacuation (Rg) were measured in larvae of Pseudoplatystoma punctifer (4.5–18.4 mm SL) fed Artemia nauplii, taking advantage of the translucence of their abdominal region to achieve this in a non‐destructive way, using digital photographs and mathematical reconstruction of gut volume content (ellipsoidal and cylindrical models for stomach and intestine respectively). The inaccuracy of the method, with reference to counts of nauplii following fish dissection, was low (2.9 ± 1.5%) and independent of fish size (P = 0.6153). Pigmentation hampered measurement in fish >18–19 mm SL. Anaesthesia was needed in fish >9.5 mm SL, thereby preventing the measurement of Rg in individual fish. The FI increased rapidly during the ontogeny, passing from <7% M at 0.6 mg, to 14% M at 1 mg and 21% M at 15–40 mg, and then decreased slightly in larger fish. At 28.5°C, Rg (% M h^?1) was modelled as Rg = ?8.22 + 12.11 log FI + 6.30 log M – 12.67 (log M)² (R² = 0.904, d.f. = 27, with FI in% M and M in mg). Extrapolations of Rg over 24 h gave estimates of daily food rations that fit well with those measured in cannibalistic P. punctifer.     

Synthesis and characterization of acrylic fibers-<Emphasis Type="Italic">g</Emphasis>-polyacrylamide

Graft copolymerization of acrylamide onto commercial acrylic fibers was carried out using benzoyl peroxide as a free-radical initiator in aqueous medium within the 75–95 °C temperature range. In this study, the effects of initiator and monomer concentration, the amount of fiber, polymerization time, and temperature on the graft yield were investigated. The optimum concentration for initiator was found to be 2.0×10⁻³ mol/l and the optimum temperature of 85 °C. The activation energy of the reaction was calculated to as 35.81 kJ/mol at the temperature interval of 75–95 °C. The structures and morphologies characterization of grafted fibers was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The thermogravimetric analysis data showed that the thermal stability of the acrylic fibers increased with graft yield. The scanning electron photographs showed that the homogeneous appearance of the fiber surface changed and a shell-like heterogeneous structure occurred at the surface with an increasing degree of grafting. The moisture content, water absorption, dyeability, and antimicrobial activity of grafted acrylic fibers were also reported. The results showed that grafting of polyAAm improved the moisture contain, water absorption, dyeability, and antimicrobial activity of fiber.