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Research Project: Innovating New Technologies that Improve Efficiencies of Recirculating Aquaculture Systems

Location: Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture Research

Title: Utilizing a consumer taste panel to assess the geosmin sensory detection threshold in market-size Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, produced in land-based aquaculture systems

Author
item DAVIDSON, JOHN - Freshwater Institute
item CROUSE, CURTIS3 - Freshwater Institute
item MAY, TRAVIS - Freshwater Institute
item TAO, RAN - The Ohio State University
item SOLDAVINI, ASHLEY - The Ohio State University

Submitted to: Journal of the World Aquaculture Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/11/2026
Publication Date: 3/3/2026
Citation: Davidson, J.W., Crouse, C., May, T., Tao, R., Soldavini, A. 2026. Utilizing a consumer taste panel to assess the geosmin sensory detection threshold in market-size Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, produced in land-based aquaculture systems. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society. 57(2). Article 70080. https://doi.org/10.1111/jwas.70080.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jwas.70080

Interpretive Summary: Microbially-derived geosmin causes an unpleasant earthy flavor in Atlantic salmon produced in land-based aquaculture systems, increasing the risk for product rejection. Despite this concern, information about the human sensory threshold for geosmin in Atlantic salmon is limited. Therefore, a consumer taste panel study was conducted to investigate further. A range of geosmin levels was created in salmon fillets using novel methods to induce natural production and uptake resulting in five fillet groups, primarily within an unknown range of detection. Panelists were asked to discriminate different samples presented in ascending order versus the lowest concentration control. Of the 85 consumer participants, 56% could not accurately detect geosmin within the tested range, while 13% detected geosmin in every comparison, including low levels of 181 ng/kg. These findings will help land-based salmon farmers align the timing of fish harvests with undetectable geosmin levels in fillets, thereby preventing product rejection and revenue loss, and improving consumer perception of these products.

Technical Abstract: Microbially-derived geosmin causes an earthy off-flavor in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, produced in land-based systems, placing these products at risk for rejection. Therefore, a study was conducted to investigate the geosmin sensory threshold in market-size Atlantic salmon. When natural waterborne geosmin levels peaked in a partial reuse system, some fish were moved to depuration tanks, while others remained in water containing 12–25 ng/L geosmin. This approach yielded five groups of fish with average geosmin levels of 82 (Control), 181, 282, 366, and 482 ng/kg. Three microwaved fillet samples, two Controls and one from another category, were blindly presented to 85 self-identified salmon consumers across four triads with ascending geosmin concentrations. Panelists were asked to identify the different sample in each triad. This Ascending Concentration Series Method of Limits test determined that the best estimate geosmin threshold of all panelists was 381 plus or minus 153 ng/kg. Only 44% of participants accurately detected geosmin within the tested range. However, 13% identified all samples correctly, demonstrating that highly sensitive consumers can detect a difference between salmon fillets with 82 and 181 ng/kg geosmin. These findings inform risk management decisions surrounding the detection of off-flavor in Atlantic salmon harvested from land-based aquaculture systems.