Bodin Nathalie, Lucas V., Dewals Patrice, Adeline M., Esparon J., Chassot Emmanuel. (2014). Effect of brine immersion freezing on the determination of ecological tracers in fish. European Food Research and Technology, 238 (6), p. 1057-1062. ISSN 1438-2377.
Titre du document
Effect of brine immersion freezing on the determination of ecological tracers in fish
Bodin Nathalie, Lucas V., Dewals Patrice, Adeline M., Esparon J., Chassot Emmanuel
Source
European Food Research and Technology, 2014,
238 (6), p. 1057-1062 ISSN 1438-2377
The use of a multi-ecological tracer approach provides valuable and complementary insights to investigate the complex biology and ecology of large pelagic fish. Brine immersion freezing is the most common preservation technique used onboard for large fish to be frozen whole until they are delivered for sale and processing. We evaluated the effect of brine freezing on lipid and fatty acid composition, C and N stable isotope ratios, and organochlorine contaminant levels of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis). Fresh tunas were stored in a saturated sodium chlorine brine immersion tank maintained at -20 A degrees C for 6 weeks, and ecological tracers were analysed on dorsal muscle samples collected before and after brine freezing. No significant effect of the fish preservation technique was found except for delta N-15 whose signatures slightly increased after a 6-week period of brine immersion. Because N isotopic shift was close to the analytical precision and probably related to a higher risk of salt penetration in small tunas with abraded skin, we consider our results as conservative and conclude that ecological tracers can indeed be analysed on brine-freezing-preserved tunas.
