Investigation of appropriateness of reared meagre (Argyrosomus regius asso,1801) for the hot smoking technology

The aim of this study was to investigate appropriateness of reared meagre for the hot smoking technology. Hot smoking method was applied to the meagre, the smoked fish were used to obtain fillets which were vacuum-packed then, stored in the refrigerator. During storage, the physical, chemical, organoleptic and microbiological changes as well as changes in fatty acid composition were analyzed. According to chemical components analysis, meagre has very low fat content, proving that this species has dietetic value. It was determined that meagre is a species rich in unsaturated fatty acids particularly high PUFA content. After hot smoking process total MUFA and total PUFA contents decreased due to the storage, the rate of this reduction was found to be a low. DHA content, important in term of nutrition was determined to be high. The study results indicated that EPA + DHA ( 18.53±0.83 % in fresh fish ) value can meet human daily needs of EPA + DHA. n3/n6 ratio which is great importance for the plasma lipid levels and heart health was determined to be in the ideal limit. In results of fatty acid analysis showed that n- 6 group fatty acids were lower than the n -3 fatty acid, it was determined that linoleic acid (18:2 n - 6) had the highest value within the n-6 fatty acids.In terms of chemical quality indicated that pH, TBA and TMA values did not exceed limit values during the storage of both fresh and hot smoked fish, TVB – N value exceeded limit values at 56th days of the hot smoked samples. According to microbiological limit values accepted for seafood, fresh and hot smoked meagre lost consumption characteristics after 7 and 35 days of storage respectively. Meagre was determined as appropriate material for the hot smoking technology.