The aim of the study was to determine if the smoked fish being produced in Poland complies with the new, stricter limits set for BaP and PAH4. The effect of sample position in the smoking chamber was also studied. The margin of exposure (MoE) approach was used for assessing the risk of dietary exposure to PAHs from smoked fish products. The study material comprised of sprat, herring, mackerel, and salmon from a fish processing plant equipped with smoking chambers with external smoke generators. None of the smoked fish products studied exceeded the new, stricter limits set for BaP and PAH4. The MoE indicators far exceed the limit of 10,000 (values lower than this indicate a potential risk to consumer health). The sensory analysis identified significant differences among the products studied that indicate the high quality of cold‐smoked salmon fillets and the statistically significant lower quality of a smoked salmon abdominal parts. Practical applications In 2011 and 2015, the European Commission amended Regulation No. 1881/2006, setting new maximum levels for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in food products in order to protect consumer safety. The currently applicable limits are: for benzo(a)pyrene—2.0 μg/kg and for the sum of benzo(a)pyrene, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, and chrysene—12.0 μg/kg in muscle meat of smoked fish and smoked fishery products with the exception of smoked, canned smoked sprat, smoked, and canned smoked Baltic herring ≤ 14 cm, where the limits are, respectively, 5.0 μg/kg and 30.0 μg/kg. The presented study was to determine if the sprat, herring, mackerel, and salmon from a fish processing plant equipped with smoking chambers with external smoke generators comply with the new, stricter limits set for BaP and PAH4 by Regulation No. 835/2011 and No. 2015/1125. The results showed that none of 54 smoked fish products that had been examined exceeded the new, stricter limits set for BaP and PAH4 and also that changes in PAH4 content depending on the position of the product in the smoking chamber were statistically insignificant, what is important information for processing plants. The sensory analysis indicated the high quality of cold‐smoked salmon fillets and the statistically significant lower quality of smoked salmon abdominal parts.

Research background. It is desirable to increase the consumption of pelagic fish rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in the market. Partial replacement of traditionally used white fish species by pelagic fish, will increase the content of omega-3 fatty acids improving the nutritional value but may also affect the consumer acceptance. The aim of this study was to assess the physicochemical and sensory quality of novel fish cake prototypes prepared from haddock and mackerel minces. Experimental approach. Fillets of haddock and Atlantic mackerel were used as raw material for preparation of fish cakes. The fish fillets were minced, mixed together in proportions of 100/0, 75/25 and 50/50 % m/m haddock/mackerel with salt, potato starch, pepper and full fat milk. Physicochemical and sensory analyses were further performed. Results and conclusions. The fatty acid composition analysis showed that the recommended daily intake of 250 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) can easily be reached by consumption of fish cakes enriched with mackerel. The oxidation levels of all fish cakes were low in terms of peroxide value and TBARS. Fish cakes prepared with higher content of mackerel mince (50 % m/m) had significantly (p<0.05) softer texture compared to other fish cakes due to higher amount of fat in their formulations. At the same time, these fish cakes were significantly darker compared to haddock-based (50 % m/m) fish cakes due to higher myoglobin content in the fish muscle. Moreover, fish cakes with higher amount of mackerel mince had increased yellowness due to accumulation of water-soluble (r = 0.990, p < 0.05) and fat-soluble (r = 0.976, p < 0.05) TBARS. 30 metabolites were quantified by using NMR metabolomics. The content of anserine, TMAO and β-ala decreased, while the content of His, Glu, Ala increased with inclusion of mackerel. Sensory tests have shown the addition of mackerel did not reduce consumer acceptability towards the new fish cakes. Novelty and scientific contribution. The research demonstrated that Atlantic mackerel can be successfully used for partial replacement of white fish species in fish cake formulations to produce healthy and tasty ready-to-cook products and increase the consumption of small pelagics in Europe.