Valorisation of Atlantic bonito and Brassica By-Products in the Development of a Sustainable Pâté: Influence of Heat Treatment, Hydrocolloids and Brassica Concentration in a Factorial Design

Fish is a highly nutritious food, rich in protein, unsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals, and its consumption has increased due to the associated health benefits. However, fish processing generates substantial waste, accounting for more than 50% of the total weight of the fish, leading to economic losses. Utilising these by-products presents an opportunity to reduce waste while enhancing the nutritional profile of food products. By-products from vegetable processing, like Brassica stalks and leaves, create economic and environmental issues, transforming them into flour provides a nutritious, fibre-rich, antioxidant source for food enrichment. The aim of this work was to develop a pâté formulation incorporating Atlantic bonito and Brassica byproducts. A 3-factor, 2-level, 32 factorial design was employed to assess the influence of key factors on the pâté’s physicochemical, texture, and sensory properties. The factors evaluated included the concentrations of hydrocolloid (sodium alginate) at 0.5 and 1 % (w/w), Brassica at 1 and 2 % (w/w), and heat treatment temperature at 105 °C and 115 °C. There were significant differences between the different heat treatment temperatures and concentrations of brassica and hydrocolloid in texture, colour, pH, aw, moisture and ash. Sensory analysis identified the formulation containing 2 % Brassica and 1 % hydrocolloid, heat-treated at 115 °C, as having the most desirable characteristics, typical of a high-quality pâté. This study demonstrates the potential for utilizing fish and vegetable by-products to create a nutritionally enriched, sustainable food product.