Using local plant materials in fish cold smoking

The purpose of the scientific experiment is to study the use of local plant materials for cold-smoked fish. Tasks: to study the organoleptic features of cold-smoked herring of control and experimental samples; to investigate the chemical indicators of herring; to study the microbiological parameters of the studied samples; to give an economic assessment of research. In three options under study herring was smoked using: in the control variant - aspen chips, in the 1st experimental variant - rowan wood chips, and in the 2nd - pine nut shells. In all variants, the herring retained its taste properties, acquired: in the control variant, a rich tart aroma, in the 1st variant - a light rowan aroma, in the 2nd variant - a harsh aroma of pine nuts. The surface of the fish of the control variant was dry; the surface of the experimental variants was slightly dry. The color of the fish skin surface was: in the control variant - uniform dark brown with a dense texture, in the 1st experimental variant - light golden with a delicate dense texture, in the 2nd - brown-golden with a dense texture. Physical and chemical studies showed that in the experimental variants, the mass fraction of moisture increased by 7.8 and 4.9 %, respectively, compared with the control; the mass fraction of fat in the 1st experimental variant was 0.2 % lower, and in the 2nd experimental variant it was 1.1 % lower than in the control; protein - decreased in experimental variant 2 - by 1.1 % compared with control one and by 1.4 % compared with experimental variant 1; the content of table salt in the control and experimental variants remained unchanged. Option 1 has the best degree of staining, as indicated by a higher optical density coefficient (0.66). The total number of mesophilic aerobic and facultative aerobic microorganisms (QMAFAnM) in experimental variants 1 and 2 decreased by half compared to the control, and pathogenic microorganisms were not detected. An economic analysis has shown that it is more profitable to use rowan wood chips for cold smoking herring.