NEW PRODUCT RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT 7
Edible coating makes fish fillets
healthier and longer-lasting
Researchers have found
that an edible coating
made from crustacean
shells and impregnated
with fish oil dramatically
improves both the shelf-
life and quality of lingcod
fillets. Sean Ottewell
reports.
Les chercheurs ont
découvert qu’une pellicule
comestible dérivée de la
coquille des crustacés et
imprégnée d’huile de
poisson améliore
spectaculairement la
durée de conservation et
la qualité des filets de
julienne. Article de Sean
Ottewell.
Forscher haben
festgestellt, dass ein
essbarer Überzeug aus
lthough fish is an important Fig. 1. Lingcod fillets hang in a lab at Oregon
Krustentierschalen,
A
source of high-quality proteins for State University after being dipped into a liquid
getränkt mit Fischöl, humans, it is highly susceptible to coating that makes them longer-lasting and
sowohl die Haltbarkeit als
both microbiological and chemical possibly healthier.
auch die Qualität von
deterioration due to its high water activity, Photo by Lynn Ketchum.
Lengdorschfilets
neutral pH, relatively large quantities of free
wesentlich verbessert.
Sean Ottewell berichtet.
amino acids, and the presence of autolytic certain visual dysfunctions. The American Heart
enzymes. Association (AHA) recommends the intake of
While cold storage and freezing are the 1g omega-3 fatty acids per day as a safe and
normal methods for fish preservation, they do effective way to obtain the heart health benefits.
not completely inhibit the its deterioration in Omega-3 fatty acids are found mainly in
quality. fat-rich fishes, but many lean fishes, such as
Oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and catfish, cod, flounder, grouper, haddock, hake,
sardine, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. As perch, and swordfish, contain very low content
the significant structural components of (<0.5 g/100 g portion) of this nutraceutical
the phospholipids of cellular membranes, compound.
omega-3 fatty acids, particularly α-linolenic
acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA),
C
hitosan, a cationic polysaccharide
and docosahexaenoic 11 acid (DHA), are very obtained from crustacean shells, is a
important for human health. EPA and DHA well-known film-forming biopolymer
play vital roles in prevention of cardiovascular with a broad antimicrobial activity
diseases and some types of cancers, including against bacteria and fungi. Chitosan-based films
colon, breast, and prostate. DHA is essential for and coatings have been applied as a microbial
brain functioning in both infants and adults. hurdle in a variety of food, including fruits
The inclusion of plentiful DHA in the diet and vegetables, eggs, cheeses, and meat, for
not only prevents brain aging and Alzheimer’s improving overall food quality and prolonging
disease, but also improves the recovery from storage life. Chitosan has also been applied as an
☞
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