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The objective of this work was to study the effect of partial sodium replacement by potassium and packaging conditions on the physicochemical properties of smoked sea bass during cold storage. Sea bass fillets were salted with 100% NaCl (Na samples) or with 50% NaCl-50% KCl (Na:K samples), smoked, packaged under three different conditions (air, vacuum and modified atmosphere) and stored at 4 °C for 42 days. Physicochemical parameters, color and texture were periodically determined in the raw material and in smoked samples during cold storage. The smoking process led to a reduction in moisture, pH and a(w) values, and an increase in water holding capacity, ash and mineral contents. Smoked fish exhibited significant differences in color and texture as compared to fresh fish. The type of packaging had an effect on the pH, water holding capacity and texture. Samples in air exhibited the highest pH values and water holding capacity in these samples gradually decreased during storage. Textural parameters decreased during storage in samples packaged in vacuum and modified atmosphere. The pH of Na samples was initially higher than in Na:K samples, and this difference remained over the rest of the study. The type of salt did not affect the texture or other physicochemical parameters.

The objective of this work was to study the evolution of the volatile fraction, and ATP and its breakdown products, in desalted cod thermally treated (water blanching, steam blanching and microwave heating), stored at 4 °C. All analyses were carried out at 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days of storage, as in the treated samples as in the control samples (desalted cod without thermal pre-treatment). The study of the volatile fraction revealed a similar behavior of the water blanched and steam blanched samples, by one hand, and of the control samples and those treated with microwave, on the other hand. This fact would imply a lower effectiveness of the microwave treatment on the preservation of the initial odor of desalted cod. The initial K1-values were lower in control and microwave samples than in water and steam blanched samples. However, the higher increase of K1-values throughout the storage in control and microwave samples would indicate a higher spoilage for these samples during the studied period. According to these results, the two blanching treatments were more effective than microwave heating in the preservation of desalted cod. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]