Improved eating quality of seafood: the link between sensory characteristics, consumer liking and attitudes

Introduction: why is the eating quality important for the industry and for the consumer?

Fish consumption varies greatly across Europe. Welch et al. provided an overview of the fish consumption in 10 European countries. The highest total fish consumption was in Spain, but the lowest in Germany and the Netherlands. However, generally more fish was consumed in Northern compared to Southern Europe. The proportion of fat fish species of the total consumption was relatively higher in coastal areas of Northern Europe, such as in Denmark and Sweden and in Germany compared to countries in central and Southern Europe. More variety of fish species was consumed in Southern than Northern Europe. Fish consumption was generally higher in areas with greater costal access. Further, cod and salmon were among the most frequently consumed species in many European countries. Cod was the most commonly consumed species in Norway, France, Greece, Sweden, UK, Italy, the third most common in Spain and the Netherlands, the fourth in Denmark, but the seventh in Germany. Salmon was the second most commonly consumed species in Norway, France and the Netherlands, the third most common in Denmark, Sweden and Germany, the sixth most common in Italy but the tenth in Spain. Cod is an example of a lean fish species but salmon is a fat fish species and are very different in sensory characteristics and nutritional values. Both species are caught wild and farmed.

Seafood products are very perishable products and their sensory characteristics depend on various factors, such as packaging methods, storage methods and storage time. It is important to consider how the product is presented to consumers. In some areas, such as Northern Europe, fillets are the most common product, while in Southern Mediterranean countries consumers usually buy whole fish. The effects of freezing on quality of fish are well documented. Frozen/thawed cod products are generally characterized by lower eating quality compared to fresh, e.g., due to decreased freshness, drier and tougher texture and Magnusson, Storage life of fresh fish and fresh fish product is relatively short and in order to meet consumer demands for fresh products, food products packed in modified atmosphere have increased their market share, with the advantage of extended shelf life. The use of modified atmosphere packaging has been found to increase the keeping quality of fish products Consumers are sensitive to the different sensory aspects of fish products caused by storage time,

The changing composition of the market for seafood products raises questions about consumer preferences for the different products on the market. Eating quality preference decisions are ultimately made during consumption. Eating quality will vary from one species of seafood to another, and then again due to choice of storage, handling, packaging, transportation, etc., made at each point in the chain from seafood catch, or slaughter, to consumption. Consumers in different countries may have different experiences with seafood, related to traditions, availability and frequency of consumption that will determine individual preferences.

Key decision makers determine quality at each stage in the seafood handling chain. However, the basis of their quality decision may not relate well with that of another quality decision maker later in the chain, or ultimately with that of the consumer, who is the final judge of eating quality. Therefore, it is important to relate eating quality to the evaluations of sensory quality carried out by key persons in the seafood handling chain, and from descriptive sensory evaluations carried out in parallel by trained panels. Eating quality has to be communicated from the consumer back through the quality chain to catch.

This chapter provides an overview over the sensory methods used for evaluation of seafood and the sensory characteristics of cod and salmon products. Few studies have been published on consumer likings in relation to sensory characteristics of seafood. Results from the SEAFOOD plus project added considerably to this knowledge and are discussed here. Further, within the project, consumers were segmented across different European countries, related to attitudes and specific preferences of seafood products and the results discussed in relation to previous findings. In addition, sensory quality models relating consumers’ perceptions of eating quality with sensory characteristics perceived by key quality decision makers at each point in the fishery production chain, from catch or slaughter, through handling and distribution to final consumption are described from the SEAFOOD plus project. Further, some future trends are mentioned and guidelines on the applications of above items for the fish industry and consumer are given.

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Anna D Parker

Journal Manager

Journal of Fisheries Research

Email: fisheriesres@emedscholar.com