A Taste of Wellness for Savoury and Snacks
Givaudan
Processors of fish products could soon be using faster pasteurisation methods thanks to scientists in Europe.
A new minimal processing method, using a radio-frequency heating unit, is under development for the fast pasteurisation of vacuum-packed fish products such as cod or salmon fillets.
Ever-increasing demands on the food production industry means that minimal processing methods, such as modified atmosphere packaging, aseptic processing and high pressure treatment, are improving all the time.
The new method, developed through the EU funded project QLK1-CT-2001-01788 (RF-FISH), is based on the application of the lightest possible treatment that yields a fresh-like, convenient, safe and high quality product.
Radio-frequency heating (RF-heating) at 27.12 MHz for instance has been used for several types of foods, in particular for post-baking of biscuits and cereals, drying of foods, and thawing of frozen products. Heat is created inside the food item mainly via its electric conductivity.
The researchers, based in Norway, Iceland and Germany, came up with a method based on the fast RF-heating of vacuum-packed fish products immersed in de-ionised water of very low electric conductivity, following fast cooling or freezing (cook/chill or cook/freeze).
Preliminary results show that heating times of one to two minutes (compared to 30 minutes in the conventional autoclave process) may increase the temperature to above 75°C. At these temperatures, vegetative microorganisms are inactivated and shelf-life at 4°C goes beyond 10 days.
Further information about the project can be obtained from the co-ordinator Thomas Pfeiffer .