Abstract
The value of non-toxic liver of pufferfish as a food ingredient was evaluated to identify its practical uses. Dishes containing pufferfish liver were prepared using different cooking methods, and the taste was evaluated in sensory tests and their microstructure was observed.
1) The weight ratio of the pufferfish liver in cooked dishes after cooking was about 60% for miso soup and steamed dishes, about 68% for saikyoyaki and teriyaki, and about 77% for tempura.
2) In analytic sensory tests, no significant differences were seen between dishes in all test items. The mean value of “smell” scores was slightly low, at 2.5 points, while “greasiness” scores ranged from 2.5 to 4.0 points. For both items, steamed dishes had low scores.
3) In preference sensory tests, the score for “favorite as a dish” was high for all dishes, particularly for “steamed dishes”. For “favorite taste”, sashimi, miso soup, steamed dishes, and tempura had high scores of ≥4.0 points on a 5-point scale. There were no significant differences in scores among the cooking methods.
4) The scanning microscopic observation in each dish revealed the differences in fat distribution among the cooking methods.
5) The results of sensory tests showed that all recipes used in the present study are suitable. Identifying uses of non-toxic pufferfish liver in Western dishes is an area for future research.
