Use of sodium nitrite in salt-curing of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) - Impact on product quality

Quality changes during processing and quality differences in smoked fillets of Atlantic salmon (4-5 kg) salted with nitrite salt compared to table salted fillets were measured. Quality parameters from right-side fillets dry salted with nitrite salt were compared with the respective left-side fillets treated the same way with table salt. Ten raw right-side fillets were analysed and used as raw material reference. Use of nitrite salt in salt-curing of smoked salmon affected colour to a more reddish hue, tended to increase carotenoid stability and displayed positive effects on NaCl diffusivity. Only slight weight changes and change in texture properties were revealed. The use of nitrite salt displayed no adverse effects like increased content of N-nitrosoamines in smoked products. In fact, significant lower contents of N-nitrosoamines were found in nitrite salted smoked fillets compared to smoked fillets salted with table salt. Relatively high amounts of residual nitrite in nitrite-treated fillets seem to be the most prominent adverse effect caused by the use of nitrite salt in salt-curing of smoked Atlantic salmon. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.