Title: The effects of different salting procedures on physical and chemical properties of heavily salted Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus)

The effects of two different salting procedures on physical and chemical properties of Atlantic mackerel (Somber scombrus) from two processing companies were investigated. Group I and group III were treated with single dry salting and group II and group IV were treated with pre-brined dry salting and stored in waxed carton boxes at 13℃. Samples of salted and desalted fillets from each group were taken at the beginning of storage, day 7 and day14 of storage and analysed for physical components (soaking yield, cooking yield, processing yield, and colour) and chemical components (water content, salt content, water activity, pH, TVB-N, lipid, free fatty acid, peroxide values, and thiobarbituric acid). The yield in fish treated with pre-brined dry salting was higher than of the single dry salting. The salt content in pre-brined dry salting was lower than the single dry salting. The lightness (L value) in pre-brined dry salting was higher than the single dry salting and the b value was lower than single dry salting. Pre-brined dry salting caused greater lipid hydrolysis in the mackerel muscle than the single dry salting resulting from higher free fatty acid content. In conclusion, the changes of physical and chemical properties of Atlantic mackerel depend on salting method, storage time and temperature and the quality of raw material.