ABSTRACT
The use of wood smoke to preserve foods is as old as open-air drying. Cold-smoked food is neither cooked nor protein coagulated in the process and it needs additional preservation hurdles, which include thermal processing, vacuum packaging, salting, and chilled storage. The main purpose of smoking is to provide desired sensory flavors and colors to the foods as well as to inactivate enzymes and to deliver an antimicrobial effect. Smoked products are commonly stored under chilled or refrigerated conditions, but they are high-risk products as compared to dried and frozen food products. The temperature used in cold smoking is important and could be a critical factor that can affect the final characteristics of the smoked product. The traditional method of smoking fish uses hot smoke, from a range of woods, passed over the fish to partially dry it and impart the flavor and aroma of the smoke.
