COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SALTING PROCEDURES FOR SALTED DRIED HERRING (Clupea harengus)

The aim of the study was to compare the effects of two different salting procedures on salt uptake, protein and moisture content, water activity (aw) weight yield, colour and quality of herring fillets. One group of herring fillets was brined with 20% brine solution for one day before dry salting while another group was dry salted only. After 27 days of salting, the fillets were desalted. Samples were taken after brining, during dry salting and after desalting. Quality of final desalted products was determined by sensory evaluation. A significant increase in yield and salt content (p<0.05), and a significant (p<0.05) decrease in aw, moisture and protein content was obtained by brining. The L*(whiteness), a*(redness) and b*(yellowness) values of the fish fillets decreased during brining. During the dry salting step, further increase in salt content and decreases in water content were observed. After 27 days of dry salting, no significant differences in moisture content, aw and salt content between treatments was observed however, there were significant increases in protein yield, L* and b* in pre-brined fish fillets. Content of moisture, aw, L* and a* values were not significantly different after desalting in fish fillets belonging to both groups. However significant increases of weight in pre-brined herring fillets and b* value and content of salt were recorded in single dry salted herring fillets after desalting. According to the sensory evaluation, there was no significant difference of flavour, texture and taste between the two groups of herring fillets.