Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research » Research » Research Project #446075

Research Project: Experimental Models to Accelerate Innovation in Preventing/Correcting Off-flavors in Farmed Trout and Salmon

Location: Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research

Project Number: 6054-43440-050-005-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jul 1, 2024
End Date: Jun 30, 2029

Objective:
1. Further develop and validate flow-through experimental models of off-flavor in Rainbow Trout and Atlantic Salmon. 2. Develop and validate RAS experimental model of off-flavor in Rainbow Trout and Atlantic Salmon. 3. Using aforementioned models of off-flavor, optimize purging strategies and assess emerging technologies for mitigation/correction of off-flavor in Rainbow Trout and Atlantic Salmon.

Approach:
In a series of experiments, we will continue to refine our existing experimental model of off-flavor induction in Rainbow Trout raised in flow-through raceways via dietary exposure to off-flavor inducing compounds. Refinements will address the influence of dietary lipid levels, fish size, and duration of exposure. Using the information developed for Rainbow Trout, we will extend this model to Atlantic Salmon reared in the same flow-through conditions. We will also develop experimental models of off-flavor induction in both species reared in recirculated aquaculture system (RAS). These experiments will build on the prior work done in flow-through conditions and assess the implications of exposure to off-flavor inducing compounds via the diet and/or rearing water. Using the models of off-flavor induction in trout and salmon raised in flow-through raceways or RAS, we will assess the effectiveness of promising dietary and water treatment-based strategies to prevent or correct off-flavors in fish. In addition to providing actionable information regarding the use of these prevention/correction strategies, the trials will demonstrate the utility of the experimental models in fish off-flavor research.