Rapid determination of pigmentation and lipid levels in fish flesh using fibre optic probe technology

Description

At the present time, pigmentation represents some 20 to 30% of the cost of feeding farmed fish. In addition, poor pigmentation can result in economic loss to the aquaculture industry through downgrading at the processing plant or through the inability to access market areas requiring high levels of pigmentation for farmed fish. The ability to select genetic stock for improved flesh quality (pigmentation and lipid content) could represent an economic windfall to the Canadian aquaculture industry. To that end, the Chinook Selective Breeding Study (CSBP) has incorporated studies to investigate the potential to select for pigmentation. The project will determine the feasibility of using NIRS and fiber optic technology to rapidly and accurately predict the pigmentation and lipid content of core samples of farmed Chinook salmon. This will be ascertained by collecting spectra and wet chemistry data on 200 fish ranging in pigmentation and lipid content. Calibration equations will be calculated.

Program Name

Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program (ACRDP)

Year(s)

2001 - 2004

Ecoregion(s)

Pacific: Vancouver Island West Coast

Principal Investigator(s)

Ian Whyte
Email: WhyteI@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca