FROM THE EGG TO THE PLATE
FARMED SALMON LIFECYCLE
2.5 to 3 years are needed to breed the Norwegian and Scottish salmons that we select for the preparation of our products. Their breed cycle respects the natural cycle of growth of the salmon: it is born in soft water and then migrates to the sea.
1 - Hatchery :
Progrenitors salmons are selected in the production inventory of the sea site, then placed in freshwater tanks. Eggs are collected and fecundated. Fries are maintained in cold water <10°C.
2 - Nursery :
Fries grow and become parrs and then smolts : it’s the smoltification.
3 - Growth offshore mer :
When they’re ready, after 12 months in average, fishes are transfered offshore. They evolve in big cages : 25 to 50m depth on a diameter of 30 to 50m, where the water density is 97,5% of water for 2,5% of salmon. Fresh water of Scotland and Norway are renewed by currents. Salmons live in shoals just like they would do if they were wild. After each breeding cycle, sites are fallowed for a better regeneration of the seabed.
4 - Harvest :
The harvest is done by minimizing the stress to maximize the flesh quality. Fishes are gathered in paddocks then forwarded on earth to be prepared for shipment : emptied, cleaned, sorted and crated on a pan of ice.
CARES GIVEN TO THE SALMON
All along its life, the Norwegian or Scottish farmed salmon is controlled to ensure a good health. For example, it will be:
- Vaccinated to a juvenile stage. Thanks to this operation, antibiotic treatments are quite rare. Less than 1% of salmons are treated every year.
- Protected against « salmon lices » by prioritizing natural ways. For example, ballan wrasse (a fish which eats salmon lices) are introduced in the rearing tanks.
SALMON FEEDING
The salmon feeding meets its natural needs at the different stages of its growth. The food is composed of :
- 28% of marine ingredients from reglemented fisheries, from fishes unused for human consumption, and from fishes drops prepared for consummers sales.
- 3% of vitamins and minerals, as well as astaxanthin : an antioxidant aiming to reinforce the salmon’s immune system and give it its pink color (the wild salmon finds it in shellfishes).
The GMO and meat-and-bone meals aren’t present in Norwegian and Scottish farmed salmon food.
PRODUCTION OF THE SMOKED SALMON
Find out how MerAlliance produces smoked salmon.
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR SMOKED SALMON
It’s hard to make a choice with such a varied offer of smoked salmon ! Ask the expert by following these few pieces of advice:
What origin ?
Most of the smoked salmon you will find in shops are from fishes breeded in Norway, Scotland or more rarely Ireland. Know that the quality doesn’t come from the provenance. Rearing conditions are cares given to the transformation of the fish (salting, drying, smoking) make the difference. First salmon breeder worldwide, Norway offers all levels of quality. Scotland is known for its Label Rouge salmons. Ireland is more of a bio specialist.
Dry salt or core salting?
- Salting with dry salt is traditional. Cover the salmon fillet with a thin layer of salt, then let it rest for a few hours. The fillet is then rinsed with clean water to remove the excess salt before smoking.
- Core salting combines salting with dry salt with the injection of salted water into the heart of the fillet. This technique significantly reduces salt consumption, water consumption and salt water treatment in wastewater treatment plants. At MerAlliance, thanks to a precise dosage of dry salt / injection, the water balance of the smoked salmon and the quality of the product when tasting are preserved.
What about the smoking ?
The reference « smoked over… » guarantees that the product was smoked by slow wood combustion. Beech and oak essences are considered as the best. But it’s mostly the know-how (smoking time, maturation time) which counts in the final result.
Be careful with the mention « smoked » without precision on the wood used : the salmon was most probably sprayed with liquid smoke. In that case, the ingredients list mentions « smoke flavouring ».
Recognize a great salmon in your plate
- Smell!
Appreciate the marine smell and the discrete perfume of smoke. Avoid absolutely : son odeur marine et son discret parfum de fumée. A éviter absolument : rancid, acrid and acid smells.
- Watch carefully!
When we raise it, the slice of a good smoked salmon keeps still. It doesn’t tear up. The color is uniform on the full slice, quite dark, in orange tones (and not pink). Be careful with pale tints : salmon fades with age.
Slices shouldn’t have big white lines (sign of a fish too fat) or dark stains. Edges shouldn’t be crusted.
- Taste…
In mouth, smoked salmon must be smelting but firm. To avoid : soft and pasty texture. You’ll recognize clearly the fish’s flavor. Salt doesn’t dominate. The smoked taste remains discrete.
TASTE THE SMOKED SALMON
Some little “professional” tips:
- To completely enjoy the flavour of your smoked salmon, don’t eat it too cold: take it out of his packaging 20 minutes before serving.
- To separate easily the slices, detach slowly the bottom corner of the right side of each slice with the tip of a knife or a fork.
- The smoked salmon can be frozen, check if the product has not been frozen before: if the product has been defrost, it is mandatorily written on the packaging, for example “product previously frozen– do not refreeze”. Take care about the place you put the product in the freezer: the product has to be sealed and placed in the coldest part of the freezer. Don’t waitthe use-by-date time written on the packaging to freeze it. Put the product in the fridge 24 hours to defrost it before eating. Do not refreeze a defrost smoked salmon.
- If you want to create an original presentation, separate the slices of smoked salmon from each to other and put those 5 minutes into the freezer: you could then easily cut in diamond-shaped, hearts or flowers with different cookie cutters.
Do you need some recipes?
The smoked salmon can be combined with lot of flavours. Create your recipe by yourself with some of those basic ideas:
- Sauces: Plain, the smoked salmon is delicious but it can get well with a little sauce such as crème fraiche, salted whipped cream, a simple squeeze of lemon or olive oil, or more sophisticated, with argan oil.
- Herbs and spices: the smoked salmon matches very well with dill, chives, peppers, poppy, coriander. Why not a touch of Espelette pepper? Not too much to do not cover the sweetness of the salmon !
- Side orders: Forget the classic white bread and add a touch of taste or crunchy: rye bread, buckwheat crisps, buckwheat pancake, crusty farmhouse bread, slice of cucumber or black radish…
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Thai Union places sustainable development at the center of its strategy. These objectives are gathered in a unique program : SeaChange®. Historically part of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy, MerAlliance shares this program which is based on 5 major themes.
Salmonids, white fish, cold-smoked or hot-smoked, in slices, dices, filet, chilled, frozon… MerAlliance processes the fish in all its forms to meet and anticipate the customers’ needs.
