Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
preservation by heat treatment and continued attempts to improve the quality of
processed foods, there is still a need in developing new technologies. The current
chapter deals with various minimal processing approaches used in meat and fi sh
products and their infl uences on the functional and nutritional qualities.
10.2
Minimal Processing
Nowadays consumers are consistently striving to get meat and fi sh products that are
fresh and natural as well as safe to consume. In order to meet this demand, a new
and promising approach of processing has emerged, minimal processing. The con-
cept of minimal processing is however ambiguous and misleading. It usually
involves substantial processing of foods with fresh-like quality and contains only
natural ingredients. There are two main reasons to adapt minimal processing of
foods; fi rst, supply of safe and fresher products with least possible losses in nutri-
ents and secondly delivery of high quality products to the consumers (Ahvenainen
1996
). These techniques are used either alone or in combination of two or more to
achieve the product with desired attributes. Such approaches could be categorized
in various thermal and non-thermal techniques, application of biopreservation or
natural antimicrobials as well as applications of hurdle concept (Fig.
10.1
).
Minimal Processing
Thermal
methods
Non-thermal
methods
Natural
antimicrobials
Hurdle
Concept
Enzymes,
lactoferrin,
oleoresins,
essential oils,
herbal
extracts,
chitoson etc.
Sous vide
processing
High Pressure
Processing
Infrared
heating
Ionizing
Radiation
Pulsed Electric
Field
Microwave
heating
Ohmic
heating
Ultrasound
Packaging
Fig. 10.1
Approaches for minimal processing technologies of meat and fi sh products
