Aquaculture America 2024

February 18 - 21, 2024

San Antonio, Texas

CREATING A NON-LETHAL SAMPLING METHOD FOR OFF-FLAVOR COMPOUNDS BY COMPARING GEOSMIN CONCENTRATIONS IN BLOOD AND MUSCLE TISSUE OF ATLANTIC SALMON Salmo salar

Authors: Mariah Pearson* and Robert Harrington

 

University of Maine Orono

168 College Ave

Orono, ME 04469

mariah.pearson@maine.edu

 



Geosmin (trans-1, 10-dimethyl-trans-9-decalol) and 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) are off-flavor compounds found naturally in water and soils but also in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). The off-flavoring caused by geosmin and 2-MIB can be described as earthy and musty, which can be off-putting to potential consumers of farm-raised fish. The human sensory threshold for geosmin and 2-MIB is variable among individuals, however, it is generally accepted that humans can taste geosmin at 0.044 to 0.5 µg/kg and 2-MIB > 0.9 µg/kg respectively (Lindholm‐Lehto 2018). These off-flavor compounds are produced as secondary metabolites from actinomycetes, mycobacteria and a variety of other bacterium. Lipophilic compounds like geosmin and 2-MIB can be detected in system water but are known to accumulate in lipid-rich fish tissues. The goal of this research study is to develop a method to analyze geosmin and 2-MIB concentrations through blood analysis instead of using muscle tissue. We aim to compare concentration of geosmin within muscle, organ tissues, and blood in Atlantic Salmon, Salmo salar, to better understand the mechanisms of transport and accumulation of off-flavoring compounds in the body of Atlantic Salmon with the overall goal of validating a non-lethal method for analyzing geosmin and 2-MIB through blood sampling.