DOES INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING AFFECT HEALTH AND NUTRITIONAL PROPERTIES OF AQUACULTURE SEAFOOD PRODUCTS?

Introduction

Aquaculture is one of sectors for seafood production with higher potential of growth which allows the suitable maintenance of fish consumption in the world, which make up 60% of total fish consumption, but is expected to continue rising (FAO, 2018) . Thus, new food products based on aquaculture products are required on the market to fill the consumers´ needs. For this reason ,  AZTI (Spain) has successfully developed four new food products based on aquaculture species (seabass, gilthead seabream and meagre)  in the frame of H2020 MedAID project.

 Global health authorities recommend consuming fish  on a regular basis as part of a healthy diet due to their rich source of nutrients including protein, minerals and micronutrients. Particularly, dietary recommendation  for  fatty fish  indicates  a consumption of one to two portions per week (ISSFAL, 2004). F armed  gilthead s eabream, seabass and meagre supply a high level of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids (Llorente, 2020) .

However, when these raw materials are employed by food industry to develop other final products , their nutritional composition might change due  the fish flesh content and the  ingredients employed in the product formulation and  depending on the industrial technology applied. So, the aim of this study was (i) to analyse how the nutritional composition varies  in the new  aquaculture seafood product  elaborated in H2020 MedAID project  from seabass, gilthead seabream and meagre raw materials and (ii ) to determine the potential nutritional and health claims might be  made on these aquaculture products.

Materials and methods

 Fillet  samples from fresh aquaculture s eabass, g ilthead seabream and m eagre and the final products derived from them  were analysed in quadruplicate for moisture, ash, crude protein , fibre and fat content employing AOAC methods. Salt content was calculated theoretically using USDA N utrient database.  The sugar profile was analysed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry GC/MS  and f atty acid profile by gas chromatography and flame ionisation detector (GC–FID)  extracting and converting fatty acids to methyl esters. Total Energy (kcal/kJ) was calculated theoretically using conversion rates of Food Regulation (EU) 1169/2011.

Taking into account  the nutritional composition obtained previously, nutritional and health claims related to protein and fat content in final products developed were evaluated according to Food Regulations (EU) 1924/2006 and (EU) 432/2012.

Results

The nutritional composition obtained in fresh fish and processed products is described in Table 1.  Differences among raw material and final products can be explained by  the fish flesh percentage in the final product and other ingredients employed in food formulation, but not by the industrial processes applied . Such p rocesses as  cutting, chopping, mixing, stuffing,  pasteurization and freezing  did not affected nutritional composition due to an optimization of processing parameters and food ingredients selection.

Nutritional claims  linked  to  the high protein  content and fatty acid profile  are presented in Table 2. Due to their high composition of unsaturated fatty acids, health claims could be included in the marketing of this product. Specially, in the case of unsaturated fatty acids, EPA and DHA ,  those related to the heart and brain function, normal vision and maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels.

Conclusions

Aquaculture seafood products with high quality nutritional profile can be developed by food industry as a healthy option for consumer due to their high protein content and fatty acid profile, specially DHA and EPA . Good formulation and technological practices assure the nutritional value of them.

Acknowledgments

MedAID (Mediterranean Aquaculture Integrated Development) project, H2020 grant agreement number 727315 (http://www.medaid-h2020.eu/).

References

FAO ,  2018. The state of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2018. Meeting the sustainable development goals. Rome. Retrieved from Rome:  http://www.fao.org/publications/sofia/en/

ISSFAL ,  2004. Report of the Sub-committee on Recommendations for Intake of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Healthy Adults. Brighton

Llorente, R., Peral I., Ibargüen, M. and Naranjo, A.  2020. New aquaculture fish products from consumer to the market.  Conference, Eposters & e-Market. Aquaculture Europe 2020. Pag 323.

Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the council of 20 December 2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods.

Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers.