89B-36

S. SATHIVEL¹, P. J. Bechtel², and S. Smiley¹. (1) Fishery Industrial Technology Center, Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks, School of Fisheries & Ocean Sciences, 118 Trident Way, Kodiak, AK 99615-7401, (2) Subarctic Agricultural Research Unit, USDA-ARS-Pacific West Area, Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks, 245 O'Neill Bldg., Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220

Roughly 250,000 mt of wild salmon are harvested in Alaska during the brief summer commercial season. The quality and composition of fish vary due to major changes their physiological status associated with impending reproduction. Salmon meal can be derived during the commercial season from wet reduction of fish processing byproducts including heads and viscera. The objective of this study was to characterize several functional and nutritional properties of salmon meal made from Alaska salmon processing byproducts.

Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) meal samples were obtained from a single commercial fish meal producer on six separate days between Aug. 5 and Aug. 25, corresponding to the later half of the commercial wild pink salmon season. The samples were analyzed for proximate composition, amino acid and mineral content. Functional properties were measured and included nitrogen solubility index, emulsion capacity, emulsion stability, fat adsorption, water adsorption, bulk density, water activity, rheological properties and color.

The proximate composition of all six samples were similar, having ~ 70 % protein, 11% lipids, 8% moisture, and 11% ash. Samples also had similar amino acid and mineral content. The samples were dark yellow in color and none showed any objectionable odor. Emulsion stability and nitrogen solubility values ranged from 56 to 71% and 16 to 33%, respectively. Samples had similar emulsification capacity, bulk density and water activity values. There were small differences for fat and water adsorption values.

These data indicate differences in some of the functional properties of salmon meals made from salmon byproducts from fish harvested during the later half of the season, as production neared. Differences between the functional properties of salmon fish meals and data previously obtained for whitefish meals were observed.

Session 89B, Aquatic Food Products: Surimi, gels and by-products
2:00 PM - 5:30 PM, Tuesday PM Room Hall I-2

2005 IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20 - New Orleans, Louisiana