PROCESS OF TEXTURE IMPROVEMENT FOR CANNED SMALL PELAGIC FISH

Abstract

The present invention refers to a process for improving the sensory quality of pelagic fish with a size between 12 and 16 cm; wherein the conditions in the indirect cooking stages at a temperature of 90 to 95° C. for 20 to 40 minutes and light drying at a temperature of 30 to 40° C. for 13 to 20 minutes, carried out prior to packaging, allows improving the skin texture of the fish in a very important way for the packaging operation and for the end customer

Claims

1. A process to improve the texture of the skin of pelagic fish with a size between 12 and 16 cm, characterized in that it comprises the following stages: (a) conditioning the fish, cutting off the head and tail and removing the viscera from the fish; (b) cleaning the fish with drinking water at a temperature between 0° C. and 4° C.; (c) immersing the fish in brine at 6% to 8% by weight for a time of 5 to 8 minutes, this is known as the liquid phase; (d) cooking for a period of 20 to 40 minutes at a temperature of 90 to 95° C., then carry out a light drying in the same continuous stage for a period of 13 to 20 minutes at a temperature of 30° C. to 40° C.; (e) packaging the product obtained at stage d; (f) adding a protective liquid to the product of stage e; (g) sealing the product obtained at stage f; (h) sterilizing the product obtained at stage g.

2. The process to improve the texture of the skin of small-sized canned fish according to claim 1, characterized in that the protective liquid of stage (f) is oil.

3. The process to improve the texture of the skin of small-sized canned fish according to claim 1, characterized in that step (e) is carried out in flexible or rigid containers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE

[0020] The FIGURE to be submitted is described below.

[0021] FIG. 1: It shows the depicted scheme of the canning process, the characteristic stage being indirect cooking at a temperature of 90° C. to 95° C. for 20 to 40 minutes and light drying at a temperature of 30° C. to 40° C. for 13 to 20 minutes.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0022] As mentioned above, the present invention refers to a process for improving the texture of pelagic fish with a size between 12 and 16 cm, since it is in these smaller species that the canning sector has problems for the operation of container filling, and problems with the final consumer who assumes that the soft texture is due to quality problems at the beginning of the process.

[0023] As the schematic form is described in FIG. 1, the process of the present invention starts with the conditioning of the raw material, in which the head and tail are cut off and the viscera of the fish are removed, then they are carefully cleaned with cold drinking water, once clean they are brined at a concentration of 6% to 8% for 5 to 8 minutes, cooking is carried out for a period of 20 to 40 minutes at a temperature of 90° C. to 95° C., followed by light drying in the same continuous stage for a period of 13 to 20 minutes at a temperature of 30° C. to 40° C. These specimens, cooked and dried, are taken to the chosen container, that can be a flexible or rigid container, in which the specimens are covered with a protective liquid, to be sealed.

[0024] These sealed preserves are sterilized to ensure the safety of the product, through commercial sterility, after this process the product has a useful life of approximately 2 to 4 years in the environment, depending on the type of container to be used. In short, this product does not need refrigeration.