Ultrasonically enhanced desalting of cod (Gadus morhua). Mass transport kinetics and structural changes

• Published in: LWT - Food Science and Technology
• Main Authors: Ozuna López, César, Puig Gómez, Consuelo Ana, García Pérez, José Vicente, Cárcel Carrión, Juan Andrés
• Other Authors: Universitat Politècnica de València. Departamento de Tecnología de Alimentos - Departament de Tecnologia d'Aliments, Universitat Politècnica de València. Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural - Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyeria Agronòmica i del Medi Natural, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, European Regional Development Fund, Universitat Politècnica de València
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2014
• Subjects: Ultrasound; Modeling; Diffusivity; Texture; Microscopy; TECNOLOGIA DE ALIMENTOS; Gadus morhua
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10251/70894; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2014.05.062

The search for an alternative means of reconstituting dried and salted products prior to consumption is of relevance for the food industry. New techniques should speed up the process while causing minimum impact on product quality. Thereby, the aim of this work was to evaluate both the effect of high-intensity ultrasound application on the desalting kinetics of cod, as well as the changes in its textural and microstructural properties. Moisture and NaCl transport was studied separately by taking the diffusion theory into account. The evolution in the swelling and hardness of cod during desalting was determined and modeled by assuming first-order kinetics. A microstructural analysis of raw salted and desalted cod was also carried out by means of light microscopy and SEM techniques. Ultrasound application significantly (p 0.05) affected both moisture and NaCl transport and the increase in both effective diffusivities (from 24% to 103%) was linked to the acoustic pressure applied. The desalting process induced the swelling and the softening of the cod tissue, both of which are phenomena that are intensified by ultrasound application. From the microstructural observations, it was shown that the application of highintensity ultrasound modified the cod structure, e.g. the increase in the fiber width. The authors acknowledge the economic support of the project ref. DPI2013-37466-C03-03 co-funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad and the European Regional Development Found (ERDF). Cesar Ozuna thanks Universitat Politecnica de Valencia for an FPI grant (Ref. 2009-02). The author also wishes to thank Carmen Cambra S.L. for selecting the raw material. Ozuna López, C.; Puig Gómez, CA.; García Pérez, JV.; Carcel Carrión, JA. (2014). Ultrasonically enhanced desalting of cod (Gadus morhua). Mass transport kinetics and structural changes. Food Science and Technology. 59(1):130-137. doi:10.1016/j.lwt.2014.05.062 S 130 137 59 1