Microbiological Shelf-Life of Vacuum-Packaged Hot-Smoked Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) Treated with Different Salt–Sugar Brines During Chilled Storage

Azmar Sheraz Safaa Al  Talabani

doi:10.51699/tgcp1n92

Authors

Azmar Sheraz Safaa Al Talabani 1- Physiotherapy department, Baba Gurgur University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51699/tgcp1n92

Keywords:

Atlantic salmon, hot smoking, salt–sugar brine, vacuum packaging, microbial shelf-life

Abstract

Background: Hot-smoked Atlantic salmon remains susceptible to microbial regrowth during refrigeration, requiring optimized brining and vacuum packaging to maintain acceptable shelf-life. Aims of the study: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of three salt–sugar brine formulations on total aerobic microbial counts in hot-smoked Atlantic salmon during 21 days of vacuum-packaged storage at 4°C and identify the formulation providing the most favorable microbiological shelf-life. Methodology: Randomly 10 Atlantic salmon were filleted, placed in 3 salt–sugar brines and immersed for 1 hour, drained and then hot-smoked at 85°C for 2 hours using eucalyptus chips. After being cooled, vacuum-packed and kept at 4°C for 21 days. The product pH, water activity and salt content were determined by validated methods. Eight storage days were analyzed with duplicate plate-count agar cultures heated to 25°C and counted for 48 hours and the results presented as CFU/g and give descriptive summary. Result: Hot smoking reduced total aerobic counts from 6,000 CFU/g before processing to 28, 86, and 120 CFU/g on day 2 in Brines 1, 2, and 3, representing reductions of 99.5%, 98.6%, and 98.0%, respectively. Counts subsequently increased during refrigerated storage, reaching 8,900, 21,100, and 34,000 CFU/g on day 21. All treatments remained well below the referenced 1×10⁷ CFU/g acceptability limit, while the strongest formulation, Brine 1, consistently demonstrated the most favorable microbiological profile throughout storage based on descriptive count comparisons. Conclusions: Hot smoking and salt–sugar brining markedly reduced microbial loads in Atlantic salmon. Although counts increased during refrigerated storage, all treatments remained below the referenced acceptability limit. Brine 1 provided the strongest microbial control, but larger replicated confirmatory studies are required.

References

[1] Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024: Blue Transformation in Action. Rome, Italy: FAO, 2024, doi: 10.4060/cd0683en.

[2] M. Cardinal, C. Knockaert, O. Torrissen, S. Sigurgisladottir, T. Mørkøre, M. Thomassen, et al., “Relation of smoking parameters to the yield, colour and sensory quality of smoked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar),” Food Res. Int., vol. 34, no. 6, pp. 537–550, 2001, doi: 10.1016/S0963-9969(01)00069-2.

[3] S. Sigurgisladottir, M. S. Sigurdardottir, O. Torrissen, J. L. Vallet, and H. Hafsteinsson, “Effects of different salting and smoking processes on the microstructure, texture and yield of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fillets,” Food Res. Int., vol. 33, no. 10, pp. 847–855, 2000, doi: 10.1016/S0963-9969(00)00104-6.

[4] S. Birkeland, A. M. B. Røra, T. Skåra, and B. Bjerkeng, “Effects of cold smoking procedures and raw material characteristics on product yield and quality parameters of cold-smoked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) fillets,” Food Res. Int., vol. 37, no. 3, pp. 273–286, 2004, doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2003.12.004.

[5] L. Gallart-Jornet, J. M. Barat, T. Rustad, U. Erikson, I. Escriche, and P. Fito, “A comparative study of brine salting of Atlantic cod and Atlantic salmon,” J. Food Eng., vol. 79, no. 1, pp. 261–270, 2007, doi: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2006.01.053.

[6] I. G. Aursand, E. Veliyulin, U. Böcker, R. Ofstad, T. Rustad, and U. Erikson, “Water and salt distribution in Atlantic salmon muscle studied by low-field ¹H NMR, ¹H and ²³Na MRI, and light microscopy: Effects of raw material quality and brine salting,” J. Agric. Food Chem., vol. 57, no. 1, pp. 46–54, 2009, doi: 10.1021/jf802158u.

[7] T. Sérot, R. Baron, C. Knockaert, and J. L. Vallet, “Effect of smoking processes on the contents of 10 major phenolic compounds in smoked fillets of herring, cod, and salmon,” Food Chem., vol. 85, no. 1, pp. 111–120, 2004, doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2003.06.011.

[8] O. Martínez, J. Salmerón, M. D. Guillén, C. Pin, and C. Casas, “Physicochemical, sensorial and textural characteristics of liquid-smoked salmon (Salmo salar) as affected by salting treatment and sugar addition,” Int. J. Food Sci. Technol., vol. 47, no. 5, pp. 1086–1096, 2012, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2621.2012.02945.x.

[9] A. E. Goulas and M. G. Kontominas, “Effect of salting and smoking-method on the keeping quality of chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus): Biochemical and sensory attributes,” Food Chem., vol. 93, no. 3, pp. 511–520, 2005, doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.09.040.

[10] P. G. Kumar, K. A. M. Xavier, B. B. Nayak, H. S. Kumar, G. Venkateshwarlu, K. Benerjee, et al., “Quality evaluation of vacuum-pack ready-to-eat hot-smoked pangasius fillets during refrigerated storage,” J. Food Process Preserv., vol. 46, Art. no. e16636, 2022, doi: 10.1111/jfpp.16636.

[11] T. Weihe, J. P. Wold, D. Ekeberg, A. L. Holck, I. Måge, A. Haugland, et al., “Microbial control of raw and cold-smoked Atlantic salmon with photodynamic inactivation using curcumin,” Foods, vol. 11, no. 21, Art. no. 3356, 2022, doi: 10.3390/foods11213356.

[12] M. W. Eklund, G. A. Pelroy, R. Paranjpye, M. E. Peterson, and F. M. Teeny, “Inhibition of Clostridium botulinum types A and E toxin production by liquid smoke and NaCl in hot-process smoke-flavored fish,” J. Food Prot., vol. 45, no. 10, pp. 935–941, 1982, doi: 10.4315/0362-028X-45.10.935.

[13] I. Dufresne, J. P. Smith, J. N. Liu, I. Tarte, and B. Blanchfield, “Effect of films of different oxygen transmission rate on toxin production by Clostridium botulinum type E in vacuum-packaged cold- and hot-smoked trout fillets,” J. Food Saf., vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 251–268, 2000, doi: 10.1111/j.1745-4565.2000.tb00304.x.

[14] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance, 4th ed. Silver Spring, MD, USA: FDA, 2022.

[15] European Food Safety Authority Panel on Biological Hazards, “Listeria monocytogenes contamination of ready-to-eat foods and the risk for human health in the EU,” EFSA J., vol. 16, no. 1, Art. no. 5134, 2018, doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5134.

[16] I. Muñoz, I. Achaerandio, Y. Yang, and M. Pujolà, “Effect of sodium reduction and smoking system on quality and safety of smoked salmon (Salmo salar),” Food Chem. Toxicol., vol. 143, Art. no. 111554, 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2020.111554.

[17] J. Lerfall and S. Hoel, “Effects of salting technology and smoking protocol on yield and quality of hot-smoked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.),” J. Food Process Preserv., vol. 45, no. 1, Art. no. e15064, 2021, doi: 10.1111/jfpp.15064.

[18] T. Løvdal, “The microbiology of cold smoked salmon,” Food Control, vol. 54, pp. 360–373, 2015, doi: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2015.02.025.

[19] F. Leroi, J. J. Joffraud, and F. Chevalier, “Effect of salt and smoke on the microbiological quality of cold-smoked salmon during storage at 5°C as estimated by the factorial design method,” J. Food Prot., vol. 63, no. 4, pp. 502–508, 2000, doi: 10.4315/0362-028X-63.4.502.

[20] A. Maillet, P. Denojean, A. Bouju-Albert, E. Scaon, S. Leuillet, X. Dousset, et al., “Characterization of bacterial communities of cold-smoked salmon during storage,” Foods, vol. 10, no. 2, Art. no. 362, 2021, doi: 10.3390/foods10020362.

[21] M. Dondero, F. Cisternas, L. Carvajal, and R. Simpson, “Changes in quality of vacuum-packed cold-smoked salmon (Salmo salar) as a function of storage temperature,” Food Chem., vol. 87, no. 4, pp. 543–550, 2004, doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.01.005.

[22] E. Heir, M. Jacobsen, M. Ø. Gaarder, I. Berget, P. Dalgaard, M. R. Jensen, et al., “Microbial safety and sensory analyses of cold-smoked salmon produced with sodium-reduced mineral salts and organic acid salts,” Foods, vol. 11, no. 10, Art. no. 1483, 2022, doi: 10.3390/foods11101483.

[23] N. Wiernasz, J. Cornet, M. Cardinal, M. F. Pilet, D. Passerini, and F. Leroi, “Lactic acid bacteria selection for biopreservation as a part of hurdle technology approach applied on seafood,” Front. Mar. Sci., vol. 4, Art. no. 119, 2017, doi: 10.3389/fmars.2017.00119.

[24] F. Leroi, J. J. Joffraud, F. Chevalier, and M. Cardinal, “Study of the microbial ecology of cold-smoked salmon during storage at 8°C,” Int. J. Food Microbiol., vol. 39, nos. 1–2, pp. 111–121, 1998, doi: 10.1016/S0168-1605(97)00126-8.

[25] C. Paludan-Müller, P. Dalgaard, H. H. Huss, and L. Gram, “Evaluation of the role of Carnobacterium piscicola in spoilage of vacuum- and modified-atmosphere-packed cold-smoked salmon stored at 5°C,” Int. J. Food Microbiol., vol. 39, nos. 1–2, pp. 155–166, 1998, doi: 10.1016/S0168-1605(97)00133-5.

[26] J. J. Joffraud, M. Cardinal, J. Cornet, J. S. Chasles, S. Léon, F. Gigout, et al., “Effect of bacterial interactions on the spoilage of cold-smoked salmon,” Int. J. Food Microbiol., vol. 112, no. 1, pp. 51–61, 2006, doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2006.05.014.

[27] T. C. Olofsson, S. Ahrné, and G. Molin, “The bacterial flora of vacuum-packed cold-smoked salmon stored at 7°C, identified by direct 16S rRNA gene analysis and pure culture technique,” J. Appl. Microbiol., vol. 103, no. 1, pp. 109–119, 2007, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2006.03216.x.

[28] C. Rachman, A. Fourrier, A. Sy, M. F. de La Cochetière, H. Prévost, and X. Dousset, “Monitoring of bacterial evolution and molecular identification of lactic acid bacteria in smoked salmon during storage,” Lait, vol. 84, nos. 1–2, pp. 145–154, 2004, doi: 10.1051/lait:2003045.

[29] S. Birkeland and B. Bjerkeng, “The quality of cold-smoked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) as affected by salting method, time and temperature,” Int. J. Food Sci. Technol., vol. 40, no. 9, pp. 963–976, 2005, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2621.2005.01014.x.

[30] L. Gallart-Jornet, J. M. Barat, T. Rustad, U. Erikson, I. Escriche, and P. Fito, “Influence of brine concentration on Atlantic salmon fillet salting,” J. Food Eng., vol. 80, no. 1, pp. 267–275, 2007, doi: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2006.05.018.

[31] A. Rizo, V. Mañes, A. Fuentes, I. Fernández-Segovia, and J. M. Barat, “Physicochemical and microbial changes during storage of smoke-flavoured salmon obtained by a new method,” Food Control, vol. 56, pp. 195–201, 2015, doi: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2015.03.030.

[32] M. R. Neunlist, M. Ralazamahaleo, J. M. Cappelier, V. Besnard, M. Federighi, and F. Leroi, “Effect of salting and cold-smoking process on the culturability, viability, and virulence of Listeria monocytogenes strain Scott A,” J. Food Prot., vol. 68, no. 1, pp. 85–91, 2005, doi: 10.4315/0362-028X-68.1.85.

[33] A. Brillet, M. F. Pilet, H. Prévost, M. Cardinal, and F. Leroi, “Effect of inoculation of Carnobacterium divergens V41, a biopreservative strain against Listeria monocytogenes risk, on the microbiological, chemical and sensory quality of cold-smoked salmon,” Int. J. Food Microbiol., vol. 104, no. 3, pp. 309–324, 2005, doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2005.03.012.

[34] L. Gram and H. H. Huss, “Microbiological spoilage of fish and fish products,” Int. J. Food Microbiol., vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 121–137, 1996, doi: 10.1016/0168-1605(96)01134-8.

[35] L. T. Hansen, S. D. Røntved, and H. H. Huss, “Microbiological quality and shelf life of cold-smoked salmon from three different processing plants,” Food Microbiol., vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 137–150, 1998, doi: 10.1006/fmic.1997.0153.