Abstract
Silurus glanis is a freshwater fish native to Europe and Western Asia. Its meat is highly appreciated by consumers. By smoking it, food products with particularly good sensory qualities are obtained. To carry out this study, comparisons were made between fish originated from aquaculture (A group - Aquaculture group) and from the natural environment (Prut river, Romania) (C group - Capture group). Fillets of the studied fish were smoked and stored at a temperature of +2 °C ÷ +5 °C. The samples were analyzed for sensory and physicochemical traits at 5, 15, 25, 30, 35 and 40 days of storage. The smoked catfish presented particularly good sensory qualities, and the origin of the meat did not significantly influence it. The products were considered optimal for consumption up to 30 days of storage. The chemical analysis revealed moisture loss at the end of the analyzed period by 4.78 % (A) and 4.70 % (C), whilst the dry matter compounds concentrated at a reversed pace, accordingly. The high values for PUFA (34.97 % in A and 30.68 % in C), make smoked European catfish meat an important source of “good fats”, a fact also highlighted by the values of Polyunsaturated Index (33.86 in A and 45.23 in C), Atherogenic Index (0.41 in A and 0.35 in C) and Thrombogenic Index (0.22 in A and 0.27 in C).