Microbiological Control and Nutritional and Sensorial Characterization of Bottarga by Mugil cephalus Produced in Sardinia (Italy)

Bottarga is a traditional Sardinian (Italy) food derived from several treatments of female mullet gonads (Mugil cephalus) that occur in specific humidity (53%) and temperature (25 degrees C) conditions. In this work, samples from the east (BEC) and west coasts (BWC) of Sardinia were evaluated for microbiological quality, physico-chemical composition, and sensorial features. Chemical analyses show a protein and fat content of about 39% and 18.6%, respectively, without any difference between the two areas. The bottarga also had a concentration of calcium equal to 455 and 413 mg/kg for BWC and BEC, respectively, as well as a sodium concentration of about 0.70% in both samples. The cholesterol found in the samples was 417 and 389 mg/100 g of the edible part of the bottarga from the west and east coasts, respectively. Overall, microbiological evaluation indicates appropriate hygiene and safety conditions. No significant differences were observed between BEC and BWC samples regarding color uniformity and texture attributes (greasiness, adhesiveness, and friability), while the global odor and sea odor were higher for BWC than BEC.