Quality assessment of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) caught by longlining and trawling at the same time and location

The quality of Atlantic cod from one trawl catch and one longline catch, caught at the same time and location, was assessed and compared. In addition, the effect of ice storage in 7 days on quality parameters was investigated. No differences between the cod from the two catches were observed on microbial activity and drip loss. Trawl caught cod had decreased pH and increased TMA compared to longlined cod. Catch Damage Index showed that trawling gave increased damages compared to longlining, where trawling resulted in poor bleeding and bruises, while longlining resulted in gaffing damages. Both color and sensory analyses confirmed the poor bleeding of trawl caught cod. In addition, the longline caught cod had increased overall sensory quality and increased lightness. Water holding capacity was decreased in trawled cod compared to longlined cod together with increased protein denaturation measured by differential scanning calorimetry. Texture analysis showed increased firmness in longlined cod. Cod loins stored on ice for 7 days encountered decreased quality attributes evaluated by sensory methods, firmness, water holding capacity and lightness, while microbial growth, pH and protein denaturation of the loin increased. In this study, the catch of Atlantic cod caught by longline had a better overall quality compared to the catch of cod caught by trawl. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.