Product yield and gaping in cold-smoked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fillets as influenced by different injection-salting techniques

Product yield and fillet gaping severity were determined in cold-smoked Atlantic salmon fillets subjected to injection-salting. Effects of process parameter settings (brine injection pressure, number of repeated injections, needle speed, injection of brine in 1 or 2 directions, and chilled fillet resting before smoking) were tested. Repeated injections increased the yield up to 5.3% (wt/wt). Increasing injection pressure significantly increased the severity of fillet gaping in smoked fillets by 18%. Brine injection directions or needle speed did not affect smoking yield. The stability of the injection system was high. The results show that choice of process parameter settings during injection-salting affects product yield after smoking.