Bárbara Teixeira^{1, 2,}, Rogério Mendes^{1, 3}

This work investigated the effect of the industrial and domestic processing, including the use of polyphosphates, in the amino acids profile of dried salted cod. Amino acids contents fluctuated throughout the processing. The loss of nutritional quality (e.g. decrease of glutamic acid and taurine) could be due to solubilization of free amino acids, peptides, and proteins in brine, in drained water during dry-salting, and also in the desalting water. Changes in the amino acids contents were also related with variations in moisture and salt contents of cod products. The use of polyphosphates also affected amino acids contents in wet salted cod, dried salted cod, and desalted cod. In general, fresh cod and desalted cod presented similar and well-balanced amino acids compositions, with high amounts of glutamic acid (2.5-2.8 g/100g ww), aspartic acid (1.6-1.8 g/100g ww), leucine (1.2-1.4 g/100g ww), and lysine (1.1-1.2 g/100g ww), while histidine had the lowest amino acid score. The data obtained can be used by nutritionists for more informed diet recommendations in response to consumer demand for healthy habits.

amino acids, protein quality, seafood, bacalhau, salting, drying, phosphates