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History

Smoking is a very old method that many different people groups have used to preserve salmon against microorganism spoilage . During the process of smoking salmon the fish is cooked and dehydrated which kills and impedes the activity of bacteria. An important example of this is Clostridium botulinum, a harmful spore which can be present in seafood . This spore is killed through high heat treatment that occurs during the smoking process.

Traditional smoked salmon has been well-respected by the Native Americans for a long period of time. They performed smoking rituals very carefully as they believed the Great Spirits would drive the salmon away if it was handled improperly . Additionally, smoked salmon was also a common dish in Greek and Roman culture throughout history, commonly being eaten at large gatherings and celebrations.

During the Middle Ages, smoked salmon became a common part of people’s diet and were consumed in soups and salads. The first smoking “factory” was from Poland in the 7th century A.D. . In the 19th century, Jewish immigrants brought fish smoking from Eastern Europe to England and America . The 19th century also marked the rising of American smoked salmon industry in the West Coast which it used Pacific salmon from Alaska and Oregon.

Nutrition

Salmon is a fish with high fat content and smoked salmon is a good source of Omega 3 fatty acid such as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) . Studies have shown that a diet including Omega 3 fatty acids reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease and certain types of cancer . Omega 3 fatty acids are also part of our nerve cells and brain cells, and as a result are likely important for developing fetuses and infants.

Moreover, smoked salmon has a high sodium content due to the salt added during brining and curing. For example, three ounces of smoked salmon contains approximately 660 mg of sodium, compared to around 50 mg in the equivalent portion of fresh cooked salmon. Although high salt content prevents the growth of microorganisms in smoked salmon by limiting water activity, overconsumption of sodium can lead to high blood pressure.

Smoked foods, including smoked salmon also contain nitrates and nitrites which are by-products of the smoking process.  Nitrites and nitrates can be converted into nitrosamines, some of which are carcinogenic. However, smoked salmon is not a major source of nitrosamine exposure to humans.

Salt replacement

As sodium chloride is known to contribute to hypertension, studies have been conducted in which part of the sodium chloride used in smoking salmon had been replaced by potassium chloride. The study shows that up to one third of the sodium chloride can be replaced by potassium chloride without changing the sensory properties of the smoked salmon.  Although potassium chloride has a bitter and metallic taste, the saltiness of the smoked salmon might have masked its undesirable flavor. Moreover, potassium chloride is also associated with low blood pressure, making it a healthier alternative.

Table 1: General nutritional breakdown of smoked salmon.

Nutrition Facts		Percentage daily value
Calories (kcals)	120 - 140
Calories from fat (kcals)	60
Total fat (g)	6g	9% DV
Saturated fat (g)	3g	15% DV
Cholesterol	40 mg	13% DV
Sodium	430 mg	18% DV
Total Carbohydrates	1g	0% DV
Protein	12g	23% DV
Vitamin A	Trace	2% DV
Vitamin C	Trace	0% DV
Calcium	11 mg	0% DV
Iron	0.85 mg	3% DV
Sodium	784 mg
Potassium	175 mg

*Based on a 2,000 calorie diet - Serving size: about 3 oz, (4 slices) cooked, about 85 grams

Salmon Selection

Standards

(Criteria directly from Fisheries Council of BC)

Four factors contributing to the evaluation of salmon:

1. Condition of fish when caught
2. Handling
3. Storage conditions
4. Sexual maturity

Grading

GRADE 1

A Grade 1-quality fish when caught will be free from defects such as punctures, bites, cuts or disfiguring or open scars in the edible portion of the fish. The belly cavity and peritoneal lining must be intact. However, small, clean cuts or breaks in the lining or slight reddening of the peritoneum may be permitted. The flesh must be firm and resilient. Dressing must be thorough with no kidney tissue and no free blood left. Belly walls should be sound, indicating a healthy, well fed fish. Net marks that do not cut through the skin or bruise or soften the underlying flesh are permitted.

External Grading Criteria

• No cuts or breaks in the covering skin of the edible portion of the fish.
• Skin colour shall be typical of the species, except that slight dulling or water marking may be apparent on the dorsal surface. Any water marking will not be related to sexual maturity, but will be caused by skin contact between fish during post-catch handling.
• No reddening of skin caused by broken blood vessels on ventral surface except for very faint reddening near anal and pectoral fins.
• Slight to moderate scale loss.
• Net marks will not indent, perforate or soften flesh.

Internal Grading Criteria

• No belly burn; peritoneal lining intact (very slight reddening may be permitted).
• Small clean cuts or breaks in the belly cavity up to 2.54cm (1 inch) in total length. No protruding ribs.
• Cleaning should ensure that the gut cavity is free from all viscera and blood. Reasonably free from residual blood water.
• No visible bruises or dark blood discoloration is permitted.

Flesh Texture and Odour

• Firm resilient flesh which does not leave impression when depressed. No flesh separation in belly cavity.The odour shall be fresh with no abnormal odours. As compared to other species, pink salmon flesh texture is the most delicate.
• Fish shall be protected by a complete glaze of ice or by a tightly wrapped membrane with no holes or tears. There will be no evidence of dehydration or freezer burn on the external surface and gut cavity of the fish. Individually frozen fish will be minimally distorted. There will be no oil migration (rust) on the surface of the fish.

GRADE 2

Fish in this category may exhibit some, but not all, defects in the different characteristics. The flesh may be soft to the extent that an impression from finger pressure will be retained. Small clean cuts, bites or punctures may be present. The belly cavity may have cuts, scrapes or some broken or cut ribs. Some ribs may be protruding as a result of belly burn. The belly lining may appear reddish due to slight belly burn.

External Grading Criteria

• Small clean cuts or breaks in skin, including punctures.
• Some dulling or water marking on skin may be apparent. Any water marking will not be related to sexual maturity, but will be caused by skin contact between fish during post-catch handling.
• Moderate reddening along lower ventral surface only.
• Moderate to heavy scale loss.
• Net marks may indent and soften flesh.

Internal Grading Criteria

• Belly burn may be obvious.
• Cuts and breaks up to 5cm (2 inches) in total length in belly cavity. Some ribs may protrude. Not more than one visible bruise up to 6 sq. cm. (1 sq. inch) permitted).
• Cleaning should ensure that the gut cavity is free from all viscera and blood. Reasonably free from residual blood water.

Flesh Texture and Odour

• Flesh may have lost most of its resilience (impression remains when flesh in depressed, fish appears limp). Some flesh separation permitted in belly cavity. As compared to other species, pink salmon flesh texture is the most delicate.
• No sour, rancid or abnormal odours.
• Fish shall be protested by a complete glaze of ice or by a tightly wrapped membrane with no holes or tears. Fish may have slight freezer burn or slight oil migration. No rancidity in the flesh will be permitted. Individually frozen fish may be moderately distorted.

COMMERCIAL GRADE

Fish in this grade will be those salmon falling below Grade 2 but will be fit for human consumption.

External Grading Criteria

• Clean cuts or breaks in skin from any source may exist.
• Dulling or water marking on the skin may be apparent. Any water marking will not be related to sexual maturity, but will be caused by skin contact.
• Extreme reddening of belly may be evident.
• Heavy to extreme scale loss.
• Net marks may indent, perforate and soften flesh.

Internal Grading Criteria

• Moderate to extreme scale loss.
• Clean cuts or tears in skin and belly cavity.
• Visible bruises permitted.
• Cleaning should ensure that the gut cavity is free from all viscera and blood. Reasonably free from residual blood water.

Flesh Texture and Odour

• Fish may appear very soft (limp). Flesh separation may be obvious in belly cavity. As compared to other species, pink salmon flesh texture is the most delicate.
• Slight off odours are permitted.
• Fish may be reconditioned if dehydration, glaze damage, moderate rust or freezer burn is present. Fish may be misshapened or distorted. Moderate rust or oil migration may be evident.

Sexual Maturity

Sexual maturity is also a major factor used to grade salmon. Characteristics addressed are: skin colouration, nose hooking, dorsal humping, belly-wall thickness, flesh colouration, oil content and flesh texture.

Packaging Smoked Salmon

Canning

History

Canning Salmon in BC can be traced back to Alexander Loggie in 1870 who established the first recorded commercial cannery on the Fraser River. Canning soon became the preferred method of preserving salmon in BC growing from three canneries in 1876 to more than ninety by the turn of the century. Sockeye and Pink Salmon make up the majority of canned salmon, with the traditional product containing skin and bones – import sources of calcium and nutrients.

Process

The enzymes of fish operate at an optimum temperature of about 5°C, the temperature of the water from which they came. Bacteriologically sterile, fish still have a large number of bacteria in their slimy surface and digestive tracts. These bacteria multiply rapidly once the fish dies and start to attack the tissues. The growth of microorganism can greatly affect the quality of the salmon.

The salmon is first dressed and washed, then cut into pieces and filled in cans (previously sterilized) in saline. The cans must then undergo a double steaming process in a vacuum-sealed environment. The steam is pressurized at 121.1°C for 90 minutes to kill any bacteria. After heating, the cans are cooled under running water, dried and stored in a controlled environment between 10-15.5°C. Before leaving the canneries, they are examined to ensure both the can integrity and safety of the fish.

Inspection and Control

The Canadian Food and Inspection Agency (CFIA) is responsible for policies, labeling requirements, permitted additives, and inspections for all fish products. All establishments which process fish for export or inter-provincial trade must be registered federally and implement a Quality Management Program (QMP) plan.

Retort Pouch

Common retort pouch packaging layers.

Introduction

Cooking low-acid food items in a retortable pouch is a relatively new process, with the first commercial use of such retort pouches found in Italy in 1960, Denmark in 1966, and in Japan in 1969. It consists of enclosing the fish in “a multilayer flexible packaging consisting mainly of polypropylene (PP), aluminum foil, and polyester (PET)” instead of the metal can or glass jar used in canning; but from there the technique is quite similar.  Four different retort pouch structures were used; namely cast polypropylene (CPP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/silicon oxide-coated nylon/CPP (SIOX), Aluminum oxide-coated PET/nylon/CPP (ALOX), and PET/aluminum foil/CPP (FOIL).

Advantages

1. Retort Pouch Salmon minimizes the thermal damage to nutrient, sensory, and other food quality characteristics due to quicker heating based on the thinner package profile when compared to metal cans.
2. Pouched food can be eaten without heating, or it can be heated quickly by placing the pouch in boiling water for a few minutes. Frozen foods, in contrast, require heating for about half an hour. Thus, less energy is required for heating a retort pouch. Pouched food can also be heated in a microwave oven simply by removing it from the pouch before heating.
3. Compare to cans and glass, it is easier to open and more safety.
4. Pouch-packed salmon had firmer, more fibrous, drier and chewier texture than that product in a can of equal fill weight.
5. Utilising the plastic retort pouch over these other forms, particularly for delicate foods such as smoked salmon. T.D. Durance and L.S. Collins found that “processing of late-run chum salmon in retortable pouches resulted in 48% reduction in processing time” for a given level of lethality to microorganisms, a clear advantage over traditional canning techniques.

Disadvantages

1. Color changes, vitamin losses, production of undesirable odors, and texture changes of salmon in the conventional retort processing.
2. The aluminum foil barrier layer is not suitable for microwave heating. (However, there are newly-made microwavable retort pouch now.)

Smoked Salmon Jerky

Introduction

Smoked salmon jerky is a dehydrated salmon product that is bought ready to eat for consumers and requires no further refrigeration or cooking. It is typically made from the trimmings and by-products of salmon products in other smoking facilities. Smoked salmon jerky undergoes the most heat processing of all other smoked salmon products yet still maintains its quality as a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids.

Processing/Ingredients

The two main processing techniques for salmon jerky are wet-brining and dry salting. In both cases the salmon is trimmed into narrow slices and then cold stored for less than one day. After being skinned and frozen, if the fish is to undergo the brining method it will require an additional step in which the the salmon is left soaking in wet brine (salt solution) for one hour. It is then removed and the excess water is discarded. After this, in both the wet-brining and dry salting method, ingredients such as non-iodized salt, potato starch, or light brown sugar are added. In some smoked salmon jerky products preservatives may also be added to extend the shelf life of the final product. The salmon is then minced with the additives and reformed into thin strips that will be smoked for twenty hours. Between the brining and salting methods for smoked salmon jerky the brining method has been found to leave the salmon more tender with up to double the moisture content of salted jerky. The salmon jerky that undergoes the dry salting method has a tougher texture due to the lower moisture content and water activity. Both forms of salmon jerky still have a much lower moisture content than is found in raw salmon.

Packaging

Smoked salmon jerky is packaged using aseptic packaging to ensure the product is in a sterilized environment. The smoked salmon jerky is commonly packaged in a vacuum sealed bag in which the oxygen has been removed, or in a controlled atmospheric package in which the oxygen has been replaced with Nitrogen to inhibit the growth of microorganisms. Because of the high heat nature of which smoked salmon jerky is processed it is a shelf stable product. Depending on the integrity of the packaging and if preservatives were used, smoked salmon jerky may have an approximate shelf-life of six months to one year.