Determination of carotinoids in different commercial salmon samples

In this study, carotinoid levels and varieties were determined in 16 different processed commercial salmon samples. For quantitative determination of total carotinoid in salmon samples a spectrophotometric method and for qualitative determination thin layer chromatography were used. Total carotinoid amounts and varieties were determined in the flesh of wild, traditionally and ecologically farmed salmon. The highest carotinoid concentration in commercial samples (1018 +/- 13 mug/100 g filet) was determined in graved cultured salmon, the lowest carotenoid concentration (473 +/- 15 mug/ 100g filet) was measured in smoked cultured salmon. In some salmon samples, canthaxanthin was determined in trace amounts in addition to astaxanthin. The highest carotinoid concentration in processed wild salmon samples (799 +/- 16 mug/100 g filet) was lower than the highest carotinoid concentration (1018 +/- 13 mug/100 g filet) in cultured salmon samples. In all wild salmons only astaxanthin was determined. The highest carotinoid concentration (739 +/- 18 mug/100 g filet) in ecologically farmed salmon samples was lower than the highest carotinoid level in traditionally cultured salmon (1018 +/- 13 mug/100 g filet).