NORWAY – A recent study conducted by the Norwegian food research institute Nofima has shed light on potential pigmentation challenges in salmon fillets faced by Norwegian fish farmers.
The research, which involved extensive mapping of the issue, not only highlights the problem but also suggests possible avenues for further exploration to mitigate it.
The investigation revealed a previously undocumented negative impact of repeated mechanical delousing on the colour of salmon fillets.
According to Nofima scientists, this effect could stem from multiple factors.
One possibility is the increased breakdown of astaxanthin, a crucial antioxidant, when fish experience stress during the delousing process.
Another contributing factor might be the reduced feed intake, leading to lower slaughter weights, which in turn, negatively affects fillet colour.
The practice of slaughtering fish at a reduced weight to minimize further delousing could exacerbate this pigmentation issue.
These findings are based on a comprehensive study that included surveys completed by Norwegian industry stakeholders in 2023, as well as an analysis of fillet colour data from commercial productions spanning 2012 to 2023, along with insights from Nofima’s R&D licenses.
The research was funded by the Norwegian Seafood Research Fund (FHF) and led by senior scientist Trine Ytrestøyl and her team at Nofima.
Interestingly, not all fish farmers consider inadequate fillet colour to be a significant problem. While some reported a reduction in pigmentation in only 2 percent of their slaughtered fish, others indicated that up to 40 percent of their stock was affected.
The study also uncovered variations in the acceptable minimum colour standards among fish farmers, with targets ranging from 24 to 27 on the SalmoFan scale and between 5 and 7 milligrams of astaxanthin per kilogram of fillet.
The study comes at a time when salmon farming in Norway has seen significant growth.
From 2010 to 2022, the sales value of salmon surged to approximately 102 billion Norwegian kroner, with sales volumes for consumption reaching nearly 1.6 million metric tons.
Despite this success, the findings from Nofima’s research underscore the ongoing challenges in maintaining the quality of salmon fillets in the face of evolving industry practices.
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