91C-27 |
Expression testing of canned and retorted skipjack tuna (Katsuwonas pelamis) muscle |
J. W. BELL1, B. E. Farkas1, S. A. Hale2, and T. C. Lanier1. (1) Food Science, North Carolina State University, 129 Schaub Hall, Box 7624, Raleigh, NC 27695, (2) Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University, Box 7625, Raleigh, NC 27695 Canned tuna quality is affected by tuna cannery processes while cannery yields are affected by can fill levels. Little information exists on the relationship between canned tuna quality and yield and how commercial processing affects each property. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of major processing variables on canned tuna yield. A modified form of the regulatory expression test was developed for this study. Compressive force, cake height, and expressed liquid mass and viscosity data were collected during and after constant strain rate expression testing of retorted skipjack tuna muscle. These data were used to described changes in expression characteristics based on porous media flow. Tuna precooking treatment, canning liquid viscosity, and canned tuna piece size were shown to affect expression results. Increased canning liquid viscosity resulted in increased mass and moisture retention for pressed cakes composed of small flake pieces, while increased retention was not found for cakes composed of larger chunk muscle pieces. An extended precooking treatment increased the loss of liquid and solids from the retorted skipjack muscle cakes during expression. These results indicate the complexity commercial tuna processors face when trying to improve canned tuna quality while ensuring can fill compliance and increase yield. Information from this research will serve as an aid to processors in improving product quality and yield.
Session 91C, Food Engineering: Food process engineering
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