Organoleptic Properties

Anchovy colatura is a poor sauce because it is made of only anchovies, but just as good because it is obtained when the salting process reaches the perfect maturing point. The addition of spices and fresh aromas to the pouring, skillfully mixed, give the sauce an inimitable bouquet, such as to make it a condiment in pasta dishes, main courses and vegetables.
Anchovy colatura was subjected to chemical analysis some years ago.
These analysis highlighted the remarkable presence of unsaturated fatty acids and an evident proteolysis of muscle proteins. The acidic composition of the anchovy has shown an unsaturated / saturated ratio of 1.5 in the case of total fatty acids, while the ratio is about 4 in the case of free fats. This result is extremely interesting because the particular composition of free polyunsaturated fatty acids, determined by the different solubility of fatty acids in the aqueous medium saturated with salt, reveals a functional factor in human health that is to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
The acidic composition of the anchovy colatura shows a balanced proportion of fatty acids for nutritional purposes with a higher intake of monounsaturated fatty acids.
The high presence of unsaturated free fats could be ascribed to the process of cellular disintegration that occurs during the fermentation of the fish. Also important is the presence of “sphingosine”, an alcohol that acts as a precursor for the sfingomieline, the cerebrosides and the gangliosides; they are attributed the role of neural cell signal receptors, therefore, the presence of these components in the anchovy dripping leads to suppose antistress properties. Furthermore, these components also show interesting biological activities such as inhibiting the development of colon cancer in laboratory animals.