Production process

• Fishing

  • Caught using trawl nets, longlines, gillnets and other gears in North Atlantic and North Pacific waters.

  • Often headed and gutted on board, washed and rapidly chilled (ice, refrigerated seawater).

• Primary processing

  • At processing plants: evisceration (if needed), filleting, trimming, skinning, pin-bone removal.

  • Grading by size, with/without skin.

  • Packaging of fresh product in ice, vacuum packs or MAP for the chilled chain.

• Freezing

  • Rapid freezing (IQF, plate, tunnel) and glazing to protect against dehydration.

  • Storage at low temperature throughout the supply chain.

• Drying and salting (stockfish/salted cod)

  • Dry salting (salt layers) or brining, sometimes combined with partial drying.

  • Air drying (traditional outdoor racks) or controlled drying in facilities.

  • Packing in cartons or bags with instructions for soaking/desalting before use.

• Value-added products

  • Fish fingers, battered/breaded fillets, burgers: forming, battering/breading, prefrying (if applicable), freezing.

  • Ready meals and soups: portioning, cooking, filling, chilling or freezing.

Physical properties

• Flesh is white to off-white, slightly translucent when raw and becoming bright white and opaque after cooking.

• Structure made of thick, layered flakes that separate easily.

• Texture is generally tender and delicate, but holds together well when cooked correctly.

• Very low fat means less tendency to rancidity than fatty fish, but higher risk of drying out in frozen storage if glazing/protection are insufficient.

Sensory and technological properties

• Flavour:

  • very mild, slightly sweet taste and low “fishiness”;

  • pairs easily with subtle seasonings as well as strong flavours (garlic, herbs, tomato, spices).

• Texture:

  • tender but reasonably firm, suitable for steaming, baking, frying and stews;

  • flakes easily, which is advantageous in soups/chowders but requires gentle handling in coated products.

• Cooking behaviour:

  • tends to dry out if overcooked, due to very low fat;

  • excellent for steaming, poaching, baking in foil, stewing, frying, and for use in fish cakes and brandade-type preparations;

  • in battered/breaded products, the coating and any sauces help preserve moisture.

Food applications

• Home cooking and foodservice

  • Grilled, baked, steamed, poached or pan-fried fillets and loins.

  • Cod in tomato-based stews, with potatoes, pulses or vegetables.

  • Traditional salted cod dishes (e.g. fritters, stews, brandade/mantecato).

  • Fish soups, chowders, mixed seafood dishes.

• Food industry

  • Fish sticks/fingers, nuggets, burgers, breaded fillets.

  • Frozen ready meals (fillets in sauce, gratins).

  • Canned or jarred cod (steamed or cooked pieces in brine or oil).

  • Ingredient cubes/flakes for soups, sauces, ready-to-heat dishes.

Nutrition & health

• Cod is a very lean, high-protein fish, contributing:

  • High-BV protein with relatively low energy density;

  • a small but meaningful amount of EPA/DHA and selenium, relevant for cardiovascular and immune function and antioxidant defence;

  • minimal fat and saturated fat, making it suitable for low-calorie and low-fat diets.

• Cholesterol content is moderate and generally lower than in many meats.

• Dried/salted cod (after proper desalting) remains extremely protein-rich but can still retain significant salt, which is important for individuals needing sodium restriction (hypertension, cardiovascular risk).

Portion note:

• Typical adult portion as a main course: 120–150 g cooked (≈ 150–180 g raw), providing around 20–30 g protein.

• For rehydrated salted/dried cod, 100–130 g cooked can provide 30–40 g protein; salt content is highly dependent on soaking time and water changes.

Allergens and intolerances

• Cod is in the “fish” allergen category and must be labelled explicitly.

• Cod allergy can cause urticaria, gastrointestinal symptoms, bronchospasm and anaphylaxis; cross-reactivity with other fish species is common.

• Processed products (sticks, burgers, ready meals) may include additional allergens: gluten (coatings), egg, milk, soy and mustard in batters, binders or sauces.

Quality and specifications (typical themes)

• Composition

  • Protein, total fat, moisture and salt within specification;

  • For frozen products, defined glaze-to-fish ratio.

• Physical–sensory

  • Flesh with bright white colour, free from red/brown blood spots and off-colours;

  • Clean, marine odour (not sour, ammoniacal or “old fish”);

  • Firm, elastic texture, not mushy;

  • Low incidence of bones and undesirable parts.

• Chemical

  • Lipid oxidation kept low (peroxide, TBARS, etc.);

  • Environmental contaminants (mercury, lead, cadmium, dioxins, PCB) below legal limits.

  • Cod is generally among the lower-mercury species compared with large pelagic predators.

• Microbiological

  • Controlled total counts for fresh/chilled products;

  • Compliance with criteria for Listeria and other pathogens in ready-to-eat products;

  • For canned products: commercial sterility.

Storage and shelf-life

• Fresh/chilled

  • Store at 0–2 °C on ice or under MAP.

  • Typical shelf-life: a few days (≈ 5–8 days in well-managed packaged products).

• Frozen

  • Store at ≤ −18 °C.

  • Acceptable quality for 6–12 months, avoiding freezer burn and excessive dehydration.

• Dried/salted

  • Shelf-stable for months to years when kept in a cool, dry, ventilated place.

  • After soaking/desalting, treat as fresh fish and store chilled.

Safety and regulatory

• Covered by regulations on fishery products: hygiene, temperature control, transport and traceability.

• Main hazards:

  • microbiological growth if the cold chain is broken;

  • parasites (e.g. Anisakis) in fish intended to be consumed raw or undercooked → mandatory freezing steps in many jurisdictions;

  • chemical contaminants (metals, dioxins, PCB) monitored to stay below legal limits;

  • for dried/salted products, hygiene risks if storage humidity is too high.

• Processing plants operate under GMP/HACCP, with CCPs on temperature, salting/drying, freezing and packaging.

Labelling

• Labels usually include:

  • Commercial name (“cod”) and scientific name (e.g. Gadus morhua);

  • FAO catch area or country of farming;

  • Production method (“wild-caught”/“farmed”);

  • Product state (fresh, frozen, dried, salted, frozen–breaded, etc.);

  • Ingredient list for processed items, with clear emphasis of the fish allergen and any other allergens;

  • Nutrition declaration.

Troubleshooting

• Strong or ammoniac “fishy” odour

  • Likely cause: loss of freshness or poor storage.

  • Action: improve temperature control, reduce storage time, adjust shelf-life and display conditions.

• Watery, weak texture

  • Possible cause: repeated freeze–thaw cycles or excessive glazing.

  • Action: tighten cold-chain control; check glazing specifications and drip loss.

• Dry, fibrous fish after cooking

  • Typical of overcooking very lean fish.

  • Action: reduce cooking time/temperature; use gentle methods (steaming, poaching, foil baking); combine with sauces or moist cooking.

• Overly salty taste in rehydrated salted cod

  • Cause: insufficient soaking.

  • Action: extend soaking time, replace water frequently, keep in refrigerated conditions during desalting.

Sustainability and supply chain

• Atlantic cod stocks have experienced overfishing and stock collapses in some regions; management plans and quotas have led to recovery in some stocks, while others remain in poor condition.

• Key sustainability points:

  • strict adherence to fishery management plans and quotas;

  • improved gear selectivity to reduce bycatch;

  • full utilisation of fish (fillets, heads, frames, trimmings) to reduce waste, including production of fishmeal and fish oil from by-products.

• At processing plants:

  • proper effluent management with monitoring of BOD/COD;

  • use of recyclable packaging;

  • application of FIFO stock rotation to limit quality loss and waste.

Main INCI functions (cosmetics)

• Cod is a common source of cosmetic ingredients such as:

  • Fish Collagen / Hydrolyzed Fish Collagen (often from cod skin): film-forming, hydrating and conditioning for skin and hair;

  • Fish Oil / Cod Liver Oil: emollient, skin-conditioning, omega-3 carrier;

  • Hydrolyzed fish proteins used as conditioning agents in hair-care formulations.

• Cosmetic use requires high levels of purification, low oxidation, odour control and strict contaminant monitoring.

Conclusion

Cod is a very lean, high-protein white fish with a favourable nutrient profile: low energy and fat, modest but useful omega-3, and good levels of selenium, iodine and B vitamins. Its mild flavour and adaptable texture make it suitable for a wide range of culinary uses and an excellent option for low-fat, low-calorie diets. Dried/salted cod offers very high protein density but demands careful management of residual salt. From an environmental perspective, sustainability depends heavily on stock status, fishery management and traceable sourcing. With appropriate cooking methods and responsible supply-chain choices, cod can provide valuable nutritional benefits while keeping health and environmental impacts relatively low.

Mini-glossary

• SFA/MUFA/PUFA – Saturated/monounsaturated/polyunsaturated fatty acids; in cod, total fat and SFA are very low, while small amounts of MUFA and PUFA (including omega-3) contribute modestly but positively to overall dietary fat quality.

• EPA/DHA/ALA – Eicosapentaenoic acid / docosahexaenoic acid / alpha-linolenic acid; EPA and DHA are marine long-chain omega-3s associated with heart, brain and eye benefits; ALA is a plant omega-3 that the body converts only partially into EPA/DHA.

• BV (biological value) – Measure of how efficiently dietary protein can be used for body protein synthesis; cod protein has high BV.

• BCAA – Branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine), important for muscle metabolism and recovery, abundant in fish and meat proteins.

• GMP/HACCP – Good Manufacturing Practices / Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points; management systems ensuring hygienic, controlled and traceable production of fish products.

• BOD/COD – Biochemical/Chemical Oxygen Demand; indicators of organic and oxidisable load in wastewater, used to design and monitor treatment plants in seafood processing.

• FIFO – First In, First Out; stock-rotation principle whereby older lots are used before newer ones, reducing quality loss, oxidation and waste.