Ensuring the Safety of High Value Aquatic Food Products
Principal Investigator |
Dr. Barbara Rasco |
Completion Date |
January 14, 2006 |
Mission |
Develop a new pasteurization method to extend shelf-life of high value aquatic food products. |
Problem Addressed
Food-borne illness outbreaks involving a wide variety of ready to eat products has focused industry attention on the need to seriously consider post-processing pasteurization as an option to improve product safety. Few effective pasteurization processes for high value aquatic products foods exist which maintain fresh-like product quality and currently there are no good pasteurization processes for ikura or other roe products, although poor quality shelf-stable products are being marketed. This project will take advantage of and complement the unique radio frequency and microwave processing and research and development capacity of Dr. Tang’s research group at WSU and will develop effective post-package pasteurization methods and means for evaluating these processes. This will benefit manufacturers of value-added seafood products in the State of Washington.
Goal
The overall project objective is to evaluate thermal pasteurization methods (conventional, microwave and RF) for high value aquatic food products.
Implications
New processing methods to improve the marketability and safety of ready-to-eat cured aquatic foods make up an important product category with large international markets. The value of roe from pink and chum salmon in Alaska alone exceeded $200 million at first sale for the 2000 harvest season and the amount of salmon caviar processed in Washington State and Alaska is growing.
Producers in Washington State manufacture "black caviars" from sturgeon and paddlefish. Other foods with high demand that are becoming increasingly important for seafood processors in our region include tobiko, mentiko, and kosinoko.
Procedures
- Evaluate post-packaging pasteurization of salmon and other roe products in: (a) in hot water or steam, (b) with microwaves at 2450 and/or 915 MHz, or (c) by RF.
- Estimate the penetration depth of microwaves and RF radiation through ikura and other roes processed at different salt levels.
- Determine the dielectric properties for ikura and other roe products.
- Determine the temperature distribution for thermally processed ikura and other roe products.
- Evaluate new RF process technologies for these foods.
Publications/Journal Articles From Project
Al-Holy, M., M.Lin, and B.A. Rasco. 2004. “Destruction Of Listeria Monocytogenes In Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) Caviar Using A Combination Of Nisin With Chemical Antimicrobials Or Moderate Heat.” J. Food Protection. In press.
Al-Holy, M, J. Ruiter, M. Lin, D.H. Kang, and B.A. Rasco. 2004. “Inactivation Of Listeria innocua In Nisin Treated Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) And Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) In Caviar Treated By Radio Frequency (RF).” J. Food Protection. 67(9):1848-8154.
Al-Holy, M., Y. Wang, J. Tang, and B.A. Rasco. 2004. “Dielectric Properties Of Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) And Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) Caviar At 27 MHz And 915 MHz As A Function Of Temperature. Food Research International. In press.
Al-Holy, M., A. Quinde, D. Guan, J. Tang, and B.A. Rasco. 2004. “Thermal Inactivation Of Listeria innocua In Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) Caviar Using Conventional Glass And Novel Aluminum TDT Tubes." J. Food Protection. 67(2):383-386.
Bledsoe, GE. and B.A. Rasco. 2004. "Food Processing. Principles and Applications. Ch 27: Frozen aquatic food products." Iowa State Press: Ames, IA and Blackwell Publishing, UK. . 447-458.
Bledsoe, GE, C.D. Bledsoe, and B.A. Rasco. 2003. “Caviar and Fish Roe Products.” Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 43(2):233-271.
Raviyan, P., J. Tang, L. Orellana, and B.A. Rasco. 2003. “Physiochemical Properties Of A TTI Based Upon Immobilization Of Aspergillus oryzae--amylase In Polyacrylamide Gel As Affected By Degree Of Cross-Linking Agent And Salt Content.” J. Food Science. 68(7):2302-2308.
Raviyan, P., J. Tang, and B.A. Rasco. 2003. “Thermal Stability Of Amylase From Aspergillus oryzae Entrapped In Polyacrylamide Gel.” J. Ag. Food Chem. 51:5462-5466.
Rasco, B.A., W.A. Girard, and G.E. Bledsoe. 2002. “Frozen Aquatic Food Products.” Chapter 11. Food Chemistry Workbook II . J.S. Smith and G.L. Christen (eds). Science Technology Systems: West Sacramento, CA. pp. 105-116.