The purpose of this work was to develop a protocol for the sensory assessment of fresh trout, in which we compared the three methods for sensory assessment. Sensory assessment using the Quality Index Method (QIM) and the Torry method was performed on raw trout samples, and with the latter method the aroma of cooked samples was assessed as well. The raw and cooked samples were also evaluated by a simplified quantitative descriptive analysis. The trout samples originated from three locations, R1 and R3 from the fish farms in Slovenia and R2 from a fish farm in Italy. With all three methods we confirmed that the sample R1 was the most fresh and had the best sensory properties. As the most discriminating method, the QIM showed the largest differences between samples. The smallest differences in freshness and sensory quality were determined by simplified quantitative descriptive analysis, which, with only five parameters, complexly addresses the sensory quality of the sample, both raw and cooked. Therefore, the hypothesis on the appropriateness of the simplified method of quantitative descriptive analysis for the rapid sensory assessment of raw and cooked trout was only partially confirmed and it was suggested that the assessment protocol, in addition to simplified quantitative descriptive method, also includes QIM.
|
