The bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) constitutes the main fishing resource in Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) coast in the autumn, winter and spring months. Considering that this fish is highly perishable, to have its shelf life increased an adequate treatment and processing are needed as soon as its capture occurs. Its use in the elaboration of a smoked product can represent considerable economic growth, if compared to its current "in natura" or frozen commercialization. A bluefish base smoked product was elaborated using natural smoke flavouring (known commercially as liquid smoke) defining the adjusted technological characteristics during the processing. The best form of liquid smoke application (immersion or sprinkling) was chosen sensorially by hedonic scale. The sprinkling of liquid smoke in the concentration of 20% on unskinned bluefish fillets showed better acceptance in the sensorial evaluation. A daily 49.5ºC pay-drying of 45 minutes before the liquid smoke application favored its larger penetration in the bluefish muscle. The thermal treatment used (52.8ºC for 45 minutes; 67ºC for 45 minutes and 80.8ºC for two and a half hours) was enough to get a product with good sensorial acceptance. The final yield of the used processing was of 39.58%, similar with the yield shown by other authors of other commercial species. The product must be kept under freezing temperature.
bluefish; processing; smoked fish; liquid smoke
