Characteristics of dry- and brine-salted salmon later treated with liquid smoke flavouring

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is an economically and nutritionally important cultured fish species (Dondero et al. 2004). About 40–50% of farm-reared Atlantic salmon reaches the consumer as traditional cold-smoked gourmet food products (Birkeland and Bjerkeng 2005); indeed, a number of countries have long traditions of producing and consuming smoked food products (Birkeland and Skara 2008). The process of cold-smoked salmon includes salting and drying before any type of smoking, and the final product typically contains between 2.0–3.9% salt in the water phase (Bannerman and Horne 2001, Huang et al. 2002; Oenhlenschlager 2007, Bocker, et al., 2008). Salmon thus salted is categorized as “lightly preserved” (Leroi 2010). Salt functions as a flavour enhancer, increasing the perception of the fullness, thickness and sweetness of food (Gallart-Jornet et al. 2007a). It may be added by injection, by dry salting or by brine Characteristics of dryand brine-salted salmon later treated with liquid smoke flavouring