Low-fat fresh sausage from rabbit meat: An alternative to traditional rabbit consumption.

The study aimed at the development of fresh sausages using rabbit exclusively as raw material. The idea was to offer an innovative product to increase rabbit consumption. Also, to meet currently consumers' requirements, a low-fat version was made. Two final formulations, a control sausage and a low-fat version using konjac gum, were developed through an iterative process and stored in a MAP under refrigeration. Sensory, microbiological and physicochemical analyses were carried out on days 1, 6, 8 and 13 after packaging. The shelf-life of the sausages was determined according to a multivariate criterion. Results showed a significant reduction in fat content and energy value. Sensory analysis showed a decrease in characteristic aroma and flavour and an increase in rancid odour, while hardness and fragility decreased in the low-fat treatment. The shelf-life was 7 days for all treatments, concluding that the multivariate method was a powerful technique as physicochemical, microbiological and sensory criteria were considered.

An Approach to the Spanish Consumer's Perception of the Sensory Quality of Environmentally Friendly Seabass.

Seabass is one of the leading aquaculture species in Europe. Sensory analysis is essential for new product development. This research focused on establishing and differentiating the opinion of consumers about seabass quality obtained with organic feeding. Fish were fed for 196 days with four treatments (a control diet with 30% fishmeal and three diets with different levels of fishmeal supplemented with organic vegetable ingredients: 25%, 30% and 35%). Experimental diets were compared with commercial samples from the retail industry that were considered as "adequate quality for fish". Two sensory analyses were carried out, check-all-that-apply (CATA) to obtain feedback on consumers' characterization towards a different type of fish evaluated and projective mapping (PM) to measure the similarity among a set of products and establish a comparison between results provided by both methods. According to the CATA results, white color, softness, meaty taste and juicy texture were considered relevant attributes, also showing a good relationship with an adequate cooked fish description. A penalty analysis confirmed that the previous characteristics were considered essential while fibrous was an undesirable attribute. The projective mapping showed a similar sensory configuration to the CATA, corroborating these findings that showed that commercial fish were placed in a position away from the rest of the treatments, and the organic diet with a higher level of fishmeal (35%) was the most distant from the control diet.

Innovative Development of Pasta with the Addition of Fish By-Products from Two Species.

The fish industry generates by-products that are still nutrient-rich. Its incorporation in pasta production could be an interesting option to get functional food. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the nutritional composition, technological properties and sensory quality of two pastas containing tuna and sea bass by-products, separately. Durum wheat semolina and fish by-product concentrates were used in pasta manufacturing. Fatty acids profile, optimal cooking time, texture profile analysis, color, weight gain, swelling index, cooking losses and moisture were determined and compared with a non-containing fish reference. A sensory analysis was also carried out. In general, results showed a higher content of fatty acids in tuna pasta than in sea bass pasta. The texture profile analysis (TPA) showed lower hardness and fracturability in the fish pasta. Cohesiveness was higher in the tuna pasta while sea bass pasta was brighter. Fish incorporation caused a decrease in weight gain and swelling index and an increase in cooking losses. Sensory analysis established differences in homogeneity, typical aroma, fish flavor, fish odor and elasticity. It was concluded that the use of these by-products results in a more nutritious pasta although tuna content should be reduced (<3%) to improve its sensory profile.

Enriched Fresh Pasta with a Sea Bass By-Product, a Novel Food: Fatty Acid Stability and Sensory Properties throughout Shelf Life.

A by-product from the filleting of sea bass (Dicentrachus labrax) was used to manufacture enriched pasta. The research aimed at achieving an increase of protein and unsaturated fatty acid contents, making innovative and healthy pasta products that are able to step up fish consumption. Two different kind of cereals were used to make fresh pasta, which were subjected to frozen storage with the addition or not of a rosemary antioxidant. The developed pastas were analyzed by physicochemical methods. Proximal analysis demonstrated an improvement of nutritional values on those of a common pasta. Fatty acid profiles, acidity indices, and TBARS (Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) index confirmed the stability of fat and effective protection against oxidation, especially in pasta with added antioxidant. The cooking time for pasta was set at 90 s, and color parameters were modified due to the incorporation of fish in the pasta-making process. An enrichment in fatty acids ω-3 and ω-6 was also confirmed. The conversion of α-linolenic acid (ALA) in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in frozen storage was detected, which remained stable during 90 days. Finally, sensory profiles of enriched pasta were found to be adequate and improved following the addition of an antioxidant due to a decrease of negative attributes associated with oxidation.