Comparative study of oil deterioration during the storage of hake liver and its oil

Abstract

Hake liver (Merluccis hubbsi) is a by-product of the fillet industry and is used as a source of oil . In the present paper the oil content of livers stored at 4ºC and -20ºC is studied compared to that of the oil extracted from livers and stored under the same conditions. Oil contained in livers stored at -20ºC was oxidized in two weeks; the oil extracted from livers and stored under the same conditions was preserved for several months. The problem is that once the oil becomes deteriorated in livers it is not possible to stabilize it by adding antioxidants. Thus it is necessary to store livers at temperatures lower than -20ºC, to extract the oil as soon as possible, to add the correct antioxidants and to store it under refrigeration, in order to obtain a high quality oil.