Optimizing Salting and Smoking of Catfish (Bagre marinus) Using Response Surface Methodology

ABSTRACTResponse surface methodology was used to assess the effects of brine concentration (0.1127–0.2473 g NaCl/g), salting time (49–271 min), smoking temperature (53.2–86.8°C), and smoking time (216–384 min) on moisture content, salt content, yield, taste preference, and texture preference of smoked catfish slices. Optimal process conditions were determined through the graphical method and desirability function approach. The desirability function showed that the optimal conditions for salting and smoking of catfish were: smoking temperature, 70°C; smoking time, 300 min; salting time, varying from 193.39 to 194.68 min; and brine concentration varying from 0.1791 to 0.1797 g NaCl/g. Under optimal conditions, moisture content, salt content, yield, taste preference, and texture preference of smoked catfish were 0.53 g water/g, 0.064 g NaCl/g, 58%, 3.7, and 3.7, respectively.