Quality of cold smoked salmon collected in one French hypermarket during a period of 1 year

Summary

Smoked Atlantic salmon was collected from a French hypermarket every second month during a period of I year (October 2000-August 2001). Salmon provenances were Norwegian, Scottish and Irish, but were all salted and smoked within France by four commercial smoking houses. Country of origin had only minor effect upon chemical composition of the smoked salmon. Generally Irish fish had a higher colour score (Roche), were redder, yellower and contained more cantaxanthin as compared to Norwegian salmon. Astaxanthin and PUFA were higher and tocopherol lesser in Norwegian salmon compared to Irish. Scottish salmon was between the Irish and the Norwegian. Differences between smoking houses were manifested in salts and sucrose content. Also visible colour and gaping (fractures in the perimysium) differed between the smokehouses tested as did the liquid loss. Increases in variance of the quality variables were observed during the 2 months preceding Christmas including a higher bacterial count. This general decline in hygiene was also manifested in that the only samples found positive for Listeria were collected during this time of the year. (C) 2004 Swiss Society of Food Science and Technology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.