SALTED AND DRIED FISH IMPORTED BY BRAZIL: QUALITY ATTRIBUTES AND FRAUDS

• Grant number: 10/15359-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2010
• End date: October 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Fishery Resources and Fishery Engineering - Marine Fishing Resources
• Principal Investigator: Léa Silvia Sant 'Ana
• Grantee: Débora Aparecida Santiago
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas (FCA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In the international dry salted fish trade, Brazil is one of the major importers. Nevertheless, the commercialization of these products must be in accordance with some requirements of quality fixed by Brazilian legislation, based mainly in moisture and sodium chloride levels. Salted cod fish are sold commercially as flakes, and differences in price between fish of different species may lead to falsification. The aim of this study is to compare the different methods of analysis of moisture and salt content, and use the technique of stable isotope analysis of 13C and 15N in ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) to check for possible fraud in products marketed as flakes of cod. Also used in this lab will be evaluating the water activity as parameter of quality in salted fish.