CA1190791A - Preparation of imitation foods of a tender texture from proteinaceous extrudates - Google Patents

Abstract

PREPARATION OF IMITATION FOODS OF A TENDER
TEXTURE FROM PROTEINACEOUS EXTRUDATES

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

Vegetable protein extrudates substantially free from internal voids with a densely compacted stratum of laminae may be used to prepare imitation products which simulate the tender, succulant textural properties Or freshly cooked natural products such as cooked mushrooms and shellfish products. The extrudates are prepared by the thermoplastic extrusion of proteinaceous feed material slurry containing more than 50% by water under conditions which prevent internal void formation and provide a highly laminated extrudate structure. The textural properties are imparted to the extrudate by retorting in the presence of pH 5.5-6.5 saline solutions.

Description

Case 81015

-2-B~CKGROUND OF THE INVE~TION

Imitation textured products~ prepared from low cost raw material, have been proposed to replace the more costly natural food products. The most prolific development h~s occurred within the field of imitation meat products.

Ihe early synthetic meat-like extrudate technology involved forming a vegetable protein slurry (e.g~ soy fla~es and water), mechanically working the soy flour and water within the barrel of an extruder under elevated pressures and temperatures to form a molten mass and extruding the molten mass through an orifice into the atmosphere.
This resulted in a puffed extrudate which simulated the fibrous character of meat products.

Subsequently issued patents modified the extrusion process to produce a non-expanded, m~at-like extrudate. United States Patent No.

3,886,299 by Feldbrugger et al. discloses a dense, substantially unpuffed fibrous, meat-like product. I~he Feldbrugger et al~ process initially entails forming a dough o~ the water and proteinaceous ~aterial. The dough is then fed to an extruder equipped with a heated channel of decreasing volume adapted to simultaneously elongate and thermally coagulate the dough and to release the compression without forcing the dough through a die whi]e maintaining the pressure drop below 100 psi.
Although Feldbrugger et al. infer the water content may broadly range between 20% and 65%, the working examples show that from 25% to 38% water ~9~

is needed to form the fibrous dough and meat-like product. In U.S.
Patent No. 3,950,564 by Puski et al. an extrusion process for producing a dense, fibrous, meat-like substitute is also disclosed. The dense, fiberous extrudate of Puski et al. is reportedly achieved by passing a protein 50~70~/water 30-50% mix through a plurality of zones decreasing pressures and temperatures. The final ~one, preceding the shaping die, is reportedly maintained at a pressure of less than 100 psi and a temperature less than 212F. Puski et al.speculate that the higher moisture content, reduced temperatures, extensive shearing action, open space within the extruder barrel, step-wise pressure reduction contributes to textural imp~v~el,~nts. ~lski et al. stresses that the configuration of the annular spacing between adjacent screw sections of the final, notched, tapered screw or cone section of the extruder and alignment of the open section within the barrel preceding the extrusion die head contributes to an extrudate having a more elongated3 fibrous mass, plate li~e structure.

In the preparation of these meat-like extrudates, the extruder design, extrusion conditions and the composition of the feed materials are especially adapted to produce a fibrous, meat-like structure in the finished product. Considerable mechanical working and exposure of the molten mass to frictional forces contributes to the creation of the desired fibrous character. Although this extrusion tec~mology is suitably adapted for preparing synthetic meat-like products, it is inapplicable to the preparation of imitation vegetable products.

7~

In view of the high cost of many vegetable products such as mushroomsg the inventors desired to produce imitation vegetable products from a low-cost-raw material. In pursuit of this objective, the inventors discovered that under certain carefully controlled extrusion conditions it was possible to produce an extrudate which simulated the eating, flavor and textural attributes of a high quality vegetable product.

DESCRIPTION OF IHE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a method for preparing imitation vegetable products from proteinaceous materials which comprises: transferring under superatmospheric pressure and a ternperature between about 130C. to about 160C. a molten mass containing proteinaceous material and at least 110 parts by weight ~ater for each lO0 parts by weight proteinaceous material into a confined cooling zone;
cooling themolten mass within the cooling zone to a temperature below the boiling point of the water contained within said mass, solidifying the flowable mass by extrudi~g the cooled mass into a zone maintained at a temperature below the solidification temperature of the ~lowable mass;
piercing the solidified extrudate into the configuration of an imitation vegetable piece and irnpartir~ the textural characteristics of a vegetable product to the pierced extrudate by heating the pierced extrudate under superatmospheric pressure in the presence of a saline solution at a ternperature greater than 95C.
Proteinaceous materials used to prepare the imitation vegetable pieces may be obtained from a variety of protein sources. Illustrative ~(37~3~

thereof are proteins derived from animal, poultry, vegetable, microbial~
marine, etc. sources. Exemplary proteinaceous materials include an~mal proteins such as milk, whey, kerat m, globulins, etc., fish proteins such as fish meal, proteinaceous materials obtained from microbial sources (e.g. yeast, etc.) and vegetable proteins. Advantageously the protein materials have a protein content of at least 40% by weight (d.s.b.) and are derived from a vegetable source and particularly those obtained from vegetable seed materials such as wheat, corn, oats, rye and legumes.
Proteinaceous materials obtained from defatted leguminous materials such as soybean, peanut 5 cottonseed, etc. are particularly effective source materials for producing the imitation vegetable products of this invention. The preferred proteinaceous materials are soy proteins and particularly those which contain (on a dry solids basis) at least 70% by weight soy protein such as soy protein concentrates and isolates with the soy protein concentrate being an especially suitable raw material.

The amount of water combined with the proteinaceous materials affects the textural characteristics of the finished product. If less than llO parts by weight water for each lO0 parts by weight protein material is used, excessive mechanical working, shearing and fi7ictional forces will occur within the extrusion mass. Such excessive forces will result in the development of a tough, fibrous~ meat-like texture.
Conversely, an excessive water level (e.g. greater than 150 pbw? yields an extrudate product of insufficient structural strength to retain its integrity when retorted in saline solutions. To achieve the textural characteristics of a vegetable material product the water content of the extrusion mix will typically range ~rom 55% to about 60% of the total protein material and water weight. On a 100 parts proteinaceous material weight basis (d.s.b.) the extrusion mix will advantageously contain from 100 to about 135 parts water for each 100 parts by weight proteinaceous material and preferably about 115 to about 125 parts by weight water.

Other additives such as preservatives, coloring, flavoring, sweetening, plasticizing, texturizing, etc. agents may be incorporated into the base mix prior to extrusion or alternatively to the saline solution. Such additives may be used to modify the desired textural, color and organoleptic properties of the imitation vegetable product. If such additives are incorporated into the extrusion mix they will generally comprise less than 15% and most typically less than 10% of the protein material dry substance weight. Metal salt additives such as calcium chloride, sodium chloride, etc. may be incorporated into the extrusion mix to satisfy the subsequent saline solution requirements.
Such netal salt additions tend toughen the texture of the extrudate and are usually omitted from the extrusion mix in the manufacture of the tender textured im~tation vegetable products. Organic and inorganic coloring additives can also be effectively included in the extrusion mix to impart the desired coloring affect to the imitation vegetable premix.

Plastîcizing agents such as edible oils, lecithin~ polyhydric alcohols (e.g. glycerol, propylene glycol, so~itol~ mixtures thereof and the like) may be effectively included to enhance pliability and tenderness of the extrudate. ~e most appropriate plasticizing level will depend upon the physical, chemical and organoleptical properties o~ the plasticizers.

~9(~7~9:~

Plasticizing additives such as the polyhydric alcohols may be satisfactorily used at higher concentrations than other plasticizing additives such as lecithin. In general, the added plasticizing agent level will normally be less than 25 pbw for each 100 parts by weigJht proteinaceous materiaI~
The polyhydric plasticizing additi~es will effectively increase the water boiling point which permits higher temperatures to be used in the cooling and extruding of the product. The plasticizing additive levels will advantageously range from about 5 to about 15 pbw for polyhydric alcohols and about 0.25 to about 2 pbw for lecithin.

Flavoring agents thermally stable under the extrusion conditions herein may also be incorporated into the extrusion premix. The thermally unstable flavo~ing and coloring additives are advantageously omitted from the extrudates.

The feed materials (including the proteinaceous material, water and other desired additives) are charged to the extruder. The feed materials are advantageously converted into a ht~mt~gt~n~us mass prior to their submission to temperatures of 1~0C. or higher. Conventional mixing equipment or adequate premixing techniques within the extruder prior to the conversion o~ the feed materials into a molten mass may be~
used for this purpose. Further improvements in textural properties are obtained by initially placing a m3~or portion of the water-soluble protein into aqueous solution prior to the mechanical working of the feed materials to a tem~erature of 130C. or higher. In the preferred e~bodiments o~ the invention, the raw materials are initially mixed together at a tem~erature of less than 40C. before being exposed to temperatures of 130C. or higher.

~07'~1~

The homogeneous admixture is then converted to a molten mass under superatmospheric pressllres at a temperature ranging from 130C. to about 160C. The molten mass-for~Dilg temperature and extrusion conditions are carefully controlled so as to develop the imitation vegetable textural properties. Excessively low extrusion temperatures and water levels create viscosity problems within the coolir~ zone and a grainy, fibrous textured product. Conversely excessive charrlng and product toughness arise from prolonged exposure at temperatures in excess of 155C. Advantageously, the extrusion temper~atures rar~e from between 135C. to 155C. The preferred operational temperatures range from about 140C. to about 150C.

The extruders used to prepare the i~itation vegetable products are specifically adapted to minimize the amount of mechanical working, shearing and frictional forces placed upon the protein composition. The total amount of power required to force the product through the extruder provides a guideline for ascertaining the extent of mechanical working, shear and friction. Extrusion processes which extensively work, shear and cause considerable friction require more power than tho æ operated under low working, shearing and frictional conditions. Extrusion devices requiring less than 100% operational increase in power over those normally required to operate the extruder on a no-load basis are advantageously used to produce the extrudates of this invention.
Compression and/or twin screw extruders such as conventionally used by the plastic industry have been found to be particularly effective for this purpose. Under the preferred operational conditions, extruders which require less than a 30% power increase (usually between about 5%
to about 20% increase) are used to prepare the extrudates.

7~1~

g The molten mass is extruded under conditions which prevent the volatile constituents from formir~ a porous or puffed extrudate. Puffing of the extruda~e is avoided by cooling the molten mass to a temperature below the boiling point of the volatile constituents prior to exposing the extrusion mass to ambient temperatures and pressi~res. The cooling temperature should be maintained sufficiently high so as to permit the cooled mass to continuously flow through the cooling zone but low enough to prevent puffing. The required cooling temperatures will depend upon the actual boiling point of the volatlle constituents of the extrusion mix. If the extrusion mix contains additives that tend to elevate the water boiling point te.g. metal salts~ plastici ærs, polyhydric alcohols, sugars~ etc.), the cooling zone temperature may exceed the normal water boiling point (i.e. 100C.) by 10C. or higher. For most extrudates, the cooling zone will typically be maintained from about 35C. to 100C.,and most typically within the ~5C.-90C. range.

The coolir~ zone is suitably designed so as to confine the mass under superatmospheric pressure until it c~n be extruded into an ambient zone without puffing. Conventional plastic extruders equipped with a water-jacketed cooling die assembly bolted directly onto the exit plate are satisfactory for this purpose.

The shape and configuration of the opening cooling assembly orifice should be designed to mini~ize the mechanical working and frictional forces. For most operations the cooling assembly cross-sectional area will range from about 10% to about 100% of the average cross-sectional area of the extruder barrel (most typically from about 25% to about 50%~. Orifices adapted to produce extrudates in ribbons !

or sheets measuring from about 0.05 t;o about 0.25 ~ches thick and preferably from about o.o8 to about 0.15 inches are particularly effective.

If desired the extrusion device may be equipped with a plurality of zones~ each of which is operated at different ternperature and pressure. For example, the first zone may be operated to provide a homogeneous adTnixture of the proteinaceous material and water, the next or succeeding zones adapted to convert the adrnixture into a hot, fluid, molten rnass of rnaterial and the flnal zone to cool the product below the boiling ternperature of the volatile constituents.

After sufficient cooling~ the Mowable and cooled mass is solidified. This can be no~nally accomplished by extruding the cooled mass into an aTribient zone. In the preferred embodiment of the invention~
the extrudate is forced through a cooling die assernbly which is adapted to yield a flat belt- or sheet-like extrudate measuring approximately o8 to about 0.15 inch thick. The extruded product can be easily cut or starnped into the desired piece during this processing stage. The solidified extrudates are most generally characterized by a non-fibrous, smooth surface appearance. The high water-retention level has a plasticizing effect upon the solidified product. This imparts a flexible and pliable character to the solidified product. The extrudates have a su~ficîently high tensile strength and low elasticity to pe~nit mechanical-drawing of the product through a cutting device. In contract to the comnercially available, unpuffed, retortable extrudates which often have void spaces in excess of 0.5 void cm3/rnass cm3, extrudates of less than 0.1 void cm3~mass cm3 may be prepared under this invention.

)7~

The extrudates issuing ~rom the cooling zone are susceptible to microbiological spoilage. Spoilage can be alleviated by incorporating a preservative into the base formula, cooking the solidified extrudate or by drying the extrudate. ~ne inclusion of prese~atives is generally undesirable since such preservatives will often adversely affect the textural and taste qualities of the imitation vegetable product. Drying the extrudates will effectively inhibit or prevent microbiological or enzymatic degradation and is useful when the extrudate pieces are intended to be stored. Reducing the ~otal water content of the extrudate to less than 15% (most typically from about 10% to about 15%) will generally be sufficient to microbiologically protect the dry extrudate agaInst microbial spoilage.

The solidified extrudates are pierced into the configuration of the desired imitation vegetable product. The term "piercing" is intended to broadly enco~pass a wide variety of techniques for cutting, partially cutting, scoring, stam~ing, perforating, etc. the extrudate product into the shape of a vegetable product or vegetable piece. The piercing device may be designed to completely cut or partially cut the extrudate. If the extrudate is partially cut or stamped, the initial scoring of the extrudate should be sufficient to permit its subsequent separation.
Partial cutting can be conveniently used when it is desired to dry the piece prior to the retort cooking step. Upon impact, separation of vegetable pieces from the extrudate can be achieved by breaking or shattering the dry extrudate along its scored lines.

Cooking the extrudate under pressure in the presence of a saline solution adJusted to a pH ranging from about 5.6 to abouk 6.4 is necessary in order to impart the textural attributes of an imitation vegetable product to the extrudate. The extrudates typically absorb or retain from about 2 to about 5 times their dry weight in water. The saline solution requirements may be provided by pre-soaking the extrudate pleces in a saline solution followed by retorting of the extrudate within the prescribed pH range. Alternatively the extrudate may be combined with a pickling brine adJusted to the appropriate pH, sealed in a container and cooked under pressure to provide a canned imita~ion vegetable product.

A sufficient amount of a metal salt should be present during the cooking to impart the desired vegetable product textural attributes to the extrudate. Relatively dilute saline solution (e.g. 0.05M or higher) are generally sufficient for this purpose. Excessive salinity (e.g. lM) will not generally adversely affect the textural properties but will result in an undesirable salty taste. Pragmatically the saline concentration will typically range from about O.IM to about 0.3M and most typically from about 0.15M to about 0.25M.

The pH at ~hich the extrudate pieces are cooked under pressure also has a significant affect upon texture. Excessively low pH conditions result in a fibrous texture while a pH of 6.5 or greater produces an excessively mushy or soft text~e. Retort cooking at a pH ranging from about 5.5 to about 6.5 (preferably at a pH 5.8-6.3) will generally impart the desired vegetable textural characteristics.

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Another significant factor affecting the textural properties is the retort cooking temperature. Although temperatures of less than 110C. may be used under prolonged cooking periods,the cooking tem~erature advantageously ranges from about 115C. to about 135~. with particularly effective results being achieved at cooking temperatures ranging from about 115C. to about 125C.

The il~itation vegetable products produced in accordance with the present invention differ from conventional meat extrudatesO The dry extrudates are relatively free from internal voids (e.g. less than 15% of the mass and most typically less than 8%). Notwithstanding the compacted dense e~trudate st~ucture, the extrudates are capable of adsorbing several times their dry weight in water. When retorted in the presence of saline solutions, the extrudates will no~nally adsorb water in an amount of at least 2.5 the extrudate dry weight (e.g. 2.5-5) and advantageously ~rom about 3 to about 4 times their dry weight. The highly compacted extruded product is comprised of a plurality Or concentric lamina, each of which is aligned substantially parallel-to the planar surface of the extrudate (i.e. along longitudinal axis of extrusion).
In the dry form, a cross-sectional cut transverse to the direction of extrusion~ macroscopically reveals a product substantially free of visible voids including appreciable separations or void spaces between the l~min~.
Visually the extrudates appear to be a solid piece. When hydrated by retorting~ the la~inated structure within the extrudate becomes more readily discernible. Unlike the dry extrudates which appear substantially ~9o~
-1~

free rrom a multiplicity of lamina, the retor~ed and hydrated pr~duct macroscopically reveals a plurality of very thin laminae. In the retorted and hydrated rorm, the lamina can be separated (e.g. by peeling) into distinct lamina which will individually measure less than about 0.5 mil in thickness. Advantageously the lamIna which form the lamin2ted str~cture will have a thickness of less than 0.3 mil and preferably less than 0.l mil in thickness. Ihe retor1-ed and hydrated extrudates are also generally characterized as a pliable and tender structure which possesses sufficient Physical and str~ctural integrity to resist ~isintegration and laminate separation during and af~er retorting.

~{Al~E

Imitation mushroom pieces were prepared by thermoplastic extrustion Or a soy protein concentrate under non-expanding extrusion conditions, cut~ mg the extrudate in the shape of mushroom pieces and retorting the pieces in brine at a pH 5.8.

Ihe non-expanded ext4rudates were prepared by pre-blending one hundred pounds o~ soy protein concentrate with 135 pounds water, metering the pre-blended mixture into a Bonnot extruder (Model 2 l/41'~
at a rate of 60 pounds per hour. Ihe first section of extruder (l0 inches~ was maintained àt 38C., the second at;65C; and the third and fourth sections at 150C. The cooling section was labricated rrom two carbon-hardened flat steel sheets each measuring l inch thick by 8 inches by 6 inches. One of the flat steel sheets was machined on one side along - PR0CON 2000 - M~nufactured and sold by the A. E. Staley ManuractuFing Company, ~ecatur, Illinois * Trade Mark ~(17~

the center of its longitudinal axis into a cavity measuring 3/32 inch thick through its entire length. Three cooling holes ]/2 inches ID were bored through each sheet at intervals of 1/2 inch, 3 inches and 5 inches from the cooling zone exit with each bore being positioned about 1/4 inches from the cooling zone cavity. The cool:Lng pipes were equipped with adapters to receive heated water as a coolant. Assembled~ the cooling zone provided a ribbon-shaped cavity measuring 6 inches wide, 3/32 inches high and 6 inches in length A forming æction (adapted to be bolted directly onto the extruder head and the cooling section) was made from carbon-hardened steel piece measuring 6 inches wide, 5 inches high and 5 inches in length.
The orifice of the forming section was adapted to fit onto the extruder head and machined to the same orifice size as the extruder head orifice (1 inch ID). The remaining orifice portions of the forming section ~as designed to radiate inwardly in an eliptical funnel-shaped form so as to coincide with the configuration of the cooling section orifice.
Cooling water at 38C. was used as a coolant in the cooling zone.

~e extruder and cooling assembly were preheated by heatin~ the sections to the operational temperature and thereafter allowing a small amount of water to pass through the extruder. After steam had issued from the cooling sections for 5 minutes~ the water and soy concentrate premix was fed to the extruder at a rate of 60 pounds/hour. The hot molten protein exiting from the extruder passed through the forming section into cooling sections. The product exited from the cooling zone at 65 C. and contained about 70% moisture. ~he extruded product was ~307~3L

very flexible with sufficient tensile strength to be recovered upon drawing reels.

The power requirements ~or the unloaded or empty extruder was 10 amps wlth a 10% increase in power ~11 amps) being required to operate during the product extrusion.

The rlbbon-shaped continuous extrudate (6 inches wide and 1/8 inches height) was scored to a depth of 0.10 inches with a cutting die of a mushroom configuration and oven-dried (180F.) to moisture content of 6%. Separation of the mushroom pieces was achieved by impact shattering of the sheets in a rotary tumbler which caused the mushroom pieces to break cleanly along the scored lines into discrete mushroom pieces.

m e volume, weight and true density (e.g. picnometer) of the dried mushroom pieces were then determined. The bulk density of the mushroom pieces was 1.28 g/cm3 + 0.05 and a true density tby air picnometer) was 1 35 g/cm3. m e specific volume of the bulk piece was 0.781 cm3/gram and the specific volume of the true density was o.7LIo cm3/g. A void volume of 0.052 void cm3/mass cm3 was then determined by the following e~uation:
B - T = V

wherein B represents the bulk specific volume cm /g~ T is the true specific volume in cm3/g and V equals the void volume cm3/mass cm3. A co~,mercial meat-like retortable extrudate was likewise analyzed. The void volume of this product was 0.604 void cm3/cm3 mass.

The dry mushroom pieces were then boiled in a hydrating brine consisting of 1000 pbw of water, 12.5 pbw salt, 0.5 pbw citric acid and 200 pbw pleces at a pH 5.8 ror one hour. T~e unadsorbed brine was drained rrom the cooked hydrated pieces and the dralned pieces were then ~illed ~nto 603 x 700 eans followed by a fllllng of the cans with a 65C~ paek brine consisting Or lO00 pbw water, 12.5 pbw salt, 0.5 pbw citric aeidg 1.29 pbw ~cGormick ~30083 flavor and ~FW mushroo~ f~avor #68060a The contents were then exhausted at 85C., cans closed and retorted for 75 ninutes at 241F.

Analysis of the retorted pieces indicated the pieees had adsorbed 3.5 times their dry weight in brine. The pH o~ retorted pieees was 5.9. ~ne retorted pieces closely simulated the appearanee as well as the sueculent texture and taste Or natural mushroo~ pieces. The pieces were uni~ormly dispersed as individual pieces throughout the packing brine. Upon storage lor several n~nths, the imitation mushxoom - pieces retained the freshness and quality ~f the freshly packed product without any evidence Or physical~ ehemieal, enzymatie or mierobial deterioration.

* Trade Mark . ,

Claims (9)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method for preparing imitation products of a tender texture from proteinaceous materials, said method comprising transferring under superatmospheric pressure and a temperature between 130°C. to about 160°C. a molten mass containing 100 parts by weight proteinaceous material and at least 110 parts by weight water into a confined cooling zone; cooling the molten mass within the cooling zone to temperature below the boiling point of the water contained within said mass; solidifying the flow of the mass by extruding the cooled mass into a solidification zone maintained at a temperature below the solidification temperature of the cooled mass; piercing the solidified extrudate into the configuration of the imitation food piece and imparting a tender texture to the imitation pieces by heating the pierced extrudate under superatmospheric pressure in the presence of a saline solution at a temperature greater than 95°C.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the proteinaceous material consists essentially of a leguminous proteinaceous material having a protein content of at least 70% by weight.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the proteinaceous material and water are converted to a molten mass at a temperature ranging from about 135°C. to about 155°C.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the molten mass is cooled in the cooling zone maintained at a temperature ranging from about 45°C. to about 90°C. into a continuous sheet of a thickness ranging from about 0.05 to about 0.25 inch and the pH of the saline solution ranges from about 5.5 to about 6.5.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the proteinaceous material consists essentially of soy protein concentrate and the molten mass contains from about 115 to about 125 parts by weight water for each 100 parts by weight soy concentrate.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the molten mass is channeled through a preforming zone into the cooling zone under laminar flow conditions sufficient to provide an extrudate which when hydrated with water is characterized as being comprised of a plurality of lamina oriented substantially parallel along the longitudinal axis of the extrusion with the average thickness of the lamina within the hydrated extrudate measuring less than 0.3 mil.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the pieces are immersed in a packing brine containing from about 0.15 M to about 0.25 M
sodium chloride, flavoring additive and an edible acid in an amount sufficient to adjust the pH of the pieces and packing brine to a pH ranging from about 5.8 to about 6.3 within a sealed container, and the pieces are cooked at a retorting temperature ranging from about 115°C. to about 135°C.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the imitation vegetable product is retorted in the presence of a saline solution which contains a sufficient amount of mushroom flavoring to impart a mushroom taste to the retorted product.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein the packing brine contains a sufficient amount of seafood flavoring to impart a seafood flavor to the retorted product.