Abstract
Salting and subsequent curing are part of the traditional processing method used in the meat and fish industry. Different preserving
agents (sodium chloride, nitrite, nitrate, among others) are added in this process. Nowadays, more attention is paid to the amount of salts
added and the salting time employed. For this reason, it is important to know the factors governing salt penetration and the most
convenient process conditions. The transfer mechanism of the salts through the structure is an interesting aspect in meat and fish
processing technology. Mathematical models are the best way to discover the factors, which govern this process, which may represent
and explain the observed data and predict the behaviour under different conditions. The objective of this review is to describe the use of
the mathematical models to simulate meat and fish salting and the benefits derived from their use. Most of the models used to describe
the salting process are diffusional, based on Ficks second law, although empirical ones are also used. For modelling purposes a good
description of the experimental results should be guaranteed. The complexity of the model will depend on the objective to be reached and
will be analysed in each case.