RESUMEN
RESEARCH BACKGROUND: It is desirable to increase the consumption of pelagic fish rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Partial replacement of traditionally used white fish species by pelagic fish will increase the content of omega-3 fatty acids, and thus improve the nutritional value but it may also affect the consumer acceptance. The aim of this study is to assess the physicochemical and sensory quality of novel fish cake prototypes prepared from haddock and mackerel mince. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Fillets of haddock and Atlantic mackerel were used as raw material for preparation of fish cakes. The fish fillets were minced, mixed together (in haddock/mackerel mass ratio of 100:0, 75:25 and 50:50%) with salt, potato starch, pepper and full fat milk. Physicochemical and sensory analyses were further performed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The fatty acid composition analysis showed that the recommended daily intake of 250 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid can easily be reached by consumption of fish cakes enriched with mackerel. The oxidation levels of all fish cakes were low in terms of peroxide value and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance assay (TBARS). Fish cakes prepared with higher mass fraction of mackerel mince (>50%) had significantly (p<0.05) softer texture than other fish cakes due to higher amount of fat in their formulations. At the same time, these fish cakes were significantly darker than haddock-based (>50%) fish cakes due to higher myoglobin content in the fish muscle. Moreover, fish cakes with higher amount of mackerel mince had increased yellowness due to the accumulation of water-soluble (r=0.990, p<0.05) and fat-soluble (r=0.976, p<0.05) TBARS. Metabolites relevant for taste and quality were quantified by using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The mass fraction of anserine, trimethylamine oxide and ß-alanine decreased, while the mass fraction of histidine, glutamic acid and alanine increased with the addition of mackerel. Sensory tests have shown the addition of mackerel did not reduce consumer acceptability towards the new fish cakes. NOVELTY AND SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTION: The research demonstrated that Atlantic mackerel can be successfully used for partial replacement of white fish species in fish cake formulations to produce healthy and tasty ready-to-cook products and increase the consumption of small pelagic fish in Europe.
RESUMEN
Marine eutrophication is a pervasive and growing threat to global sustainability. Macroalgal cultivation is a promising circular economy solution to achieve nutrient reduction and food security. However, the location of production hotspots is not well known. In this paper the production potential of macroalgae of high commercial value was predicted across the Baltic Sea region. In addition, the nutrient limitation within and adjacent to macroalgal farms was investigated to suggest optimal site-specific configuration of farms. The production potential of Saccharina latissima was largely driven by salinity and the highest production yields are expected in the westernmost Baltic Sea areas where salinity is >23. The direct and interactive effects of light availability, temperature, salinity and nutrient concentrations regulated the predicted changes in the production of Ulva intestinalis and Fucus vesiculosus. The western and southern Baltic Sea exhibited the highest farming potential for these species, with promising areas also in the eastern Baltic Sea. Macroalgal farming did not induce significant nutrient limitation. The expected spatial propagation of nutrient limitation caused by macroalgal farming was less than 100-250 m. Higher propagation distances were found in areas of low nutrient and low water exchange (e.g. offshore areas in the Baltic Proper) and smaller distances in areas of high nutrient and high water exchange (e.g. western Baltic Sea and Gulf of Riga). The generated maps provide the most sought-after input to support blue growth initiatives that foster the sustainable development of macroalgal cultivation and reduction of in situ nutrient loads in the Baltic Sea.