THE QUALITY AND SHELF LIFE OF ATLANTIC MACKEREL (Scomber scombrus) AS INFLUENCED BY SMOKING TECHNOLOGY, PACKAGING MATERIAL AND STORAGE TEMPERATURE

Whole and filleted Atlantic mackerel were hot smoked using Cabin and Bradley kilns. The smoked products were then air and vacuum-packed and stored at 0 – 4 C and 15 – 20 C for up to 35 days. The changes in physicochemical (pH, colour, water activity, salt and water content and total volatile base nitrogen, TVB-N), microbiological and sensory quality were studied over the storage period. Vacuum-packed smoked mackerel stored at refrigerated temperatures performed better during storage than those air-packed, independent of the smoking method. According to the sensory analysis, the shelf life was estimated between 7 10 days for air-packed smoked mackerel fillets stored at room temperature and 10 18 days for vacuum and air-packed whole mackerel stored at 0 – 4 C and 15 – 20 C. Vacuum and airpacked mackerel fillets independent of storage temperature, as well as, vacuum-packed mackerel from the two smoking methods stored at 0 – 4 C were not rejected by the panel during the storage period.