Sensory Studies on Snacks and Dips Elaborated with Lionfish Surimi

Abstract

[EN] Lionfish (Pterois volitans) have proliferated over the Caribbean Sea causing massive damage to coral reefs ecosystems. The development of products using lionfish is a control strategy that aims to decrease the negative impact of this species. In this research, the lionfish was processed to obtain surimi with a different set of binders (liquid egg white and starch) and high-power ultrasound. The surimi was used to elaborate two novel products: snacks and dipping sauce. A sensory panel was organized to determine the culinary applications with the highest appeal. The most liked fish snacks were obtained with ultrasound: (1) without binders and (2) with starch (3%). In case of dipping sauce, the most liked one was made by conventional method and egg white (1.5%). The use of ultrasound to obtain lionfish surimi in combination with binders demonstrated its potential to be used in the preparation of novel products with high sensory qualities.