CA2896005A1 - Method for making tuna salad - Google Patents

Method for making tuna salad Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CA2896005A1
CA2896005A1 CA2896005A CA2896005A CA2896005A1 CA 2896005 A1 CA2896005 A1 CA 2896005A1 CA 2896005 A CA2896005 A CA 2896005A CA 2896005 A CA2896005 A CA 2896005A CA 2896005 A1 CA2896005 A1 CA 2896005A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
tuna
pouches
salad
temperature
cans
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA2896005A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Frank Simon
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Mitsui Foods Inc
Original Assignee
Mitsui Foods Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Mitsui Foods Inc filed Critical Mitsui Foods Inc
Priority to CA2896005A priority Critical patent/CA2896005A1/en
Publication of CA2896005A1 publication Critical patent/CA2896005A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23LFOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L3/00Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
    • A23L3/10Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating materials in packages which are not progressively transported through the apparatus
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23BPRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
    • A23B4/00General methods for preserving meat, sausages, fish or fish products
    • A23B4/005Preserving by heating
    • A23B4/0053Preserving by heating with gas or liquids, with or without shaping, e.g. in form of powder, granules or flakes
    • A23B4/0056Preserving by heating with gas or liquids, with or without shaping, e.g. in form of powder, granules or flakes with packages, or with shaping in the form of blocks or portions
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23LFOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L17/00Food-from-the-sea products; Fish products; Fish meal; Fish-egg substitutes; Preparation or treatment thereof

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Nutrition Science (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Marine Sciences & Fisheries (AREA)
  • Meat, Egg Or Seafood Products (AREA)

Abstract

A method of making tuna salad with improved storage and organoleptic properties by retorting precooked tuna to an internal temperature of at least 100° C
for at least one minute, cooling the retorted tuna and combining the retorted with other appropriate ingredients for making tuna salad while maintaining the tuna and other ingredients at a temperature of -1° C
to 4.4° C.

Description

METHOD FOR MAKING TUNA SALAD
FIELD
[0001] This invention pertains to tuna processing and, more particularly, to improved methods for making tuna salad.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Currently, commercial manufacturers of bulk tuna salad acquire tuna in large cans or vacuum pouches which have been subjected to retorting or "sterilizing" to kill vegetative pathogenic spores at the center of the package so that the tuna will be safe to use when the cans or pouches are opened and used in making tuna salad in facilities maintained at room temperature. The retorting may be carried out, for example, by placing precooked tuna loin in sealed 10" x 15" pouches or cans and heating for about 97 minutes or more at temperatures of about 121 C or more. Such relatively aggressive retorting processes have been thought to be necessary to ensure that the product will be stable at room temperature until the cans or pouches are ultimately opened and the tuna is either eaten or added to other ingredients to make dishes like tuna salad. However, heating at such elevated temperatures for such extended periods degrades the organoleptic properties of the tuna making it dry and hurting its appearance so that the tuna itself and dishes made from it are adversely affected. This is of particular concern with respect to commercially made bulk tuna salad which must be as appealing as possible to satisfy customers like restaurants and individual consumers.
[0003] The prior art may also generally discuss cooking precooked tuna loins or shellfish at temperatures in the range of about 80-110 C for varying cooking times in attempts to improve storage characteristics. However, such prior art techniques which do not employ the relatively aggressive retorting processes referenced above are not considered effective in making can or pouch stored tuna safe for consumption without additional processing to kill vegetative pathogenic spores.
[0004] The prior art thus does not teach or suggest the present methods in which the tuna cans or pouches are subjected to an abbreviated or gentler sterilizing step, and then chilled or frozen, and used in making tuna salad. In this new method, the tuna and other tuna salad ingredients are maintained in a chilled condition during the preparation of the tuna salad and the final tuna salad product is kept in a chilled condition until presented for eating. This method is more efficient and economical than prior art methods and produces a superior tuna salad product. It makes it possible to substantially reduce heating or retort time and to improve the organoleptic properties of the tuna salad end product while maintaining good shelf life.
SUMMARY
[0005] Embodiments of the invention comprise methods of making tuna salad.
According to embodiments, raw tuna is thawed, eviscerated, racked by size, precooked, cooled, cleaned, and stored in cans or pouches before retorting. The precooking is preferably carried out to produce a tuna backbone temperature of at least 57 C. It is preferred that the precooked tuna is rapidly cooled, cleaned and packed into plastic pouches before gently retorting it as described below.
[0006] The precooked tuna next is gently retorted to produce an internal tuna temperature of at least 100 C for at least one minute. This constitutes an abbreviated sterilizing step.
Preferably, this gentle retorting is carried out for about 77 minutes at about 120 C for 10" x 15" plastic pouches with 3kg tuna fill.
[0007] After gently retorting the tuna in the abbreviated sterilizing step, it is chilled.
Preferably, the tuna is chilled until it reaches an internal temperature of at least about -1 C or lower. The chilled, retorted tuna (which may be frozen for storage and then thawed before use) then is combined with other appropriate ingredients for making tuna salad while maintaining the tuna and other ingredients in a chilled condition.
[0008] Surprisingly, it has been found that tuna which is subjected to the abbreviated sterilizing step described above, chilled or frozen, and then maintained and used in accordance with the invention in making tuna salad produces a final tuna salad product in which the tuna has improved organoleptic properties and shelf life. In order to maintain the improved organoleptic properties and insure the improved shelf life, the tuna and other salad ingredients are maintained in a chilled condition during preparation of the tuna salad and the tuna salad is kept in a chilled condition until presented for eating. The abbreviated sterilizing step is both responsible for these improved properties and also makes the overall process more energy-efficient and economical.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Precooking [00091 The starting material in the practice of the method of this invention is precooked lightmeat tuna which is prepared from frozen raw tuna that is thawed, eviscerated, racked by size, precooked, cooled, cleaned, and stored in cans or pouches. The precooking of the tuna preferably will be sufficient to produce a backbone temperature of at least 57 C or higher.
When we refer to -lightmeat tuna" we intend to include all of the tuna used for human food, including albacore tuna which may be referred to as "whitemeat" tuna.
[0010] Following precooking, the tuna heads, tails, skin, bones and redmeat are removed leaving lightmeat tuna loins for subsequent treatment. The precooked lightmeat tuna loins can be reduced to any appropriate size to facilitate filling cans or pouches, heating and final mixing in tuna salad. The lightmeat may be flaked to facilitate filling pouches or chunked and cut to can height for solid packs or cans. Preferably, the lightmeat will be flaked to a size of about 0.5 inches by 0.25 inches before being placed in the pouches before the abbreviated sterilizing (or gentle retorting) step. In the filling step, oil and/or a vegetable broth may be added to help maintain the moisture in the tuna.

Retorting and Chilling [0011] The precooked tuna (with or without oil and/or a vegetable broth) is gently retorted in a conventional pressurized steam retort apparatus (for canned tuna) or in water spray retort (for pouch tuna). The gentle retorting should be carried out at a temperature and time sufficient to produce an internal tuna temperature of at least 100 C or higher for at least one minute.
[0012] Preferably, the abbreviated sterilization step will be carried out for about 77 minutes at about +120 C for 10" x 15" plastic pouches with 3kg tuna fill, and following this gentle retorting the tuna will be cooled to at least 4.4 C or lower and for pouch tuna preferably frozen. Indeed, it is yet more preferred that the pouch tuna be blast-frozen following retorting and, for both pouch and canned tuna, it is preferred that the cans and pouches be cooled within one hour of the completion of retorting, and more preferably immediately following retorting.
[0013] In the case of pouch tuna, it is preferred that the gently retorted tuna be promptly moved to a blast freezer for cooling following the completion of the retorting. When the pouch tuna is treated in this way it will be blast-frozen at about -20 C or lower. Preferably, it will be blast-frozen at about -50 C. When a water spray retort is used with pouched tuna it typically will automatically cool the pouch down to 38 C. In this case, the cooled pouches should be loaded into an airblast or plate freezer within 3 hours and frozen to -20 C in about 4 hours. The tuna will then be maintained at -20 C throughout distribution.
Prior to use, the temperature of the pouches will be raised to between -1 C and + 4.4 C.
Preparation of Tuna Salad [0014] The frozen, retorted tuna cans and pouches may be used in making tuna salad. The salad maker will thaw the tuna to a temperature of -1 C to +4.4 C as described earlier.
[0015] Once thawed while being held to a temperature of-l C to +4.4 C, the tuna will be combined with other appropriate ingredients (salad dressing, spices and flavors, etc.) for making tuna salad while being maintained in a working environment also maintained in this temperature range and mixed using conventional mixing techniques to provide a final tuna salad product. It is important that the tuna salad itself be kept at a temperature of -1 C to +4.4 C or lower until it is served to maintain the properties of the tuna. If kept in this temperature range, the tuna salad will be safe and organoleptically desirable for at least 14 days before there is any danger of spoilage.
[0016] The following examples are intended to be illustrative of embodiments of the present invention and to teach one of ordinary skill how to make and use embodiments of the invention. These examples are not intended to limit the invention or its protection in any way.
EXAMPLES
Example 1. Preparation of Tuna Using Abbreviated Sterilizing Process [0017] 1. First, caught tuna is precooked to produce a backbone temperature of 57 C.
Then, the precooked tuna heads, tails, skin, bones and redmeat are removed leaving lightmeat tuna. This lightmeat tuna is flaked to a generally uniform size of about 0.5 inches by 0.25 inches and then placed in pouches suitable for retorting along with vegetable broth.
[0018] 2. When the tuna is ready to be subjected to an abbreviated sterilization process, it is placed in a pressurized steam retort maintained at 121 C for 77 minutes to produce an internal tuna temperature of 105 C.
[0019] 3. The retorted pouches are then cooled and moved into a blast freezer maintained at about -50 C within 3 hours and promptly frozen and maintained in a frozen state.
Example 2. Preparation of Tuna Salad [0020] The frozen retorted tuna pouches prepared in Example 1 are thawed at a temperature of 4.4 C. Once thawed, the flaked tuna is removed from the pouches and combined with other appropriate ingredients for making tuna salad in a working environment maintained at 4.0 C. This combination is mixed using conventional mixing techniques to provide a final tuna salad product.
[0021] If the resulting tuna salad is maintained at a temperature of -1 to 4.4 C it will still be organoleptically desirable and safe to use for at least two weeks.
Furthermore, it will have improved appearance, moistness and flavor as compared to tuna salad prepared from tuna subjected to conventional retorting.
[0022] The use of the terms "a" and "an" and "the" and similar referents in the context of describing embodiments of the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. It should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are exemplary only, and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

Claims (8)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A method of making tuna salad comprising:
providing lightmeat tuna prepared from frozen raw tuna that has been thawed, eviscerated, and precooked to produce a backbone temperature of at least 57° C, cooled and cleaned;
storing the lightmeat tuna in cans or pouches with or without oil and/or a vegetable broth;
retorting the lightmeat tuna at a temperature of about 120° C in cans or pouches for about 77 minutes to produce an internal tuna temperature of at least 100° C for at least one minute;
cooling the retorted tuna in cans or pouches to 4.4° C or less; and combining the cooled retorted tuna with other appropriate ingredients for making tuna salad while maintaining the retorted tuna and other ingredients at a temperature of -1° C to 4.4° C until served.
2. The method of claim 1 in which a 3kg fill of lightmeat tuna is placed in 10" × 15"
plastic pouches for retorting.
3. The method of claim 2 in which the pouches are blast frozen during the cooling step to about -20° C or lower.
4. The method of claim 1 in which the tuna is maintained at about -20° C until it is to be used in making tuna salad and then warmed to between -1° C and 4.4° C.
5. The method of claim 4 in which the tuna salad is maintained at a temperature of -1° C
to 4.4° C until it is served.
6. The method of claim 1 in which the retorted tuna is stored in cans or pouches with or without oil and/or a vegetable broth.
7. The method of claim 1 in which the retorted tuna is stored in pouches or cans and the lightmeat is flaked before being placed in the pouches or cans.
8. A method of making tuna salad comprising:
providing lightmeat tuna prepared from frozen raw tuna that has been thawed, eviscerated, and precooked to produce a backbone temperature of at least 57° C, cooled and cleaned;
storing the lightmeat tuna in cans or pouches with or without oil and/or a vegetable broth;
retorting the lightmeat tuna at a temperature of about 120° C for about 77 minutes to produce an internal tuna temperature of at least 100° C for at least one minute;
cooling the retorted tuna in cans or pouches to 4.4° C or less; and combining the chilled retorted tuna with other appropriate ingredients for making tuna salad while maintaining the retorted tuna and other ingredients at a temperature of -1° C to +4.4° C; and maintaining the tuna salad at a temperature of -1° C to 4.4° C
until it is served.
CA2896005A 2015-06-30 2015-06-30 Method for making tuna salad Abandoned CA2896005A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA2896005A CA2896005A1 (en) 2015-06-30 2015-06-30 Method for making tuna salad

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA2896005A CA2896005A1 (en) 2015-06-30 2015-06-30 Method for making tuna salad

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2896005A1 true CA2896005A1 (en) 2016-12-30

Family

ID=57590967

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA2896005A Abandoned CA2896005A1 (en) 2015-06-30 2015-06-30 Method for making tuna salad

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2896005A1 (en)

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
CN103564034B (en) Fresh-cut vegetable processing method
KR102327356B1 (en) Preparing method for seasoning meat by sous vide and the seasoning meat using the same
CN104957242A (en) Bamboo shoot preservation processing technology
CN106798236B (en) Combined preservation method of non-frozen steamed stuffed buns with vegetable stuffing
CN111165559A (en) Comprehensive preservation method for instant flavor meat product
CN101999715A (en) Cooking method of preconditioning mutton soup without mutton odour
CN104187828A (en) Production method of boneless pig feet
AU2018200086B2 (en) Low frequency ultrasound assisted and high temperature and pressure combined sterilization method for prolonging shelf life of red braised pork belly
JP2019516386A (en) Process for producing processed food and processed food produced thereby
CA2954161C (en) Cooked turkey wing product
US20190000096A1 (en) Method for preserving raw meat
WO2020105590A1 (en) Packaged precooked seafood product and method for producing same
CN105475982B (en) Chinese toon sauce processing method
JP2011115076A (en) Method for processing and preserving fresh fish and shellfish
CN102934812B (en) Preparation method and system of dried meat slice
CN105918427A (en) Fresh keeping method of sauce braised meat products
US9095151B1 (en) Method for making tuna salad
CN101422269A (en) Quick-freezing fresh soup preparation method
CN106721881A (en) A kind of non-freezing joint air regulating fresh-keeping method of three fourths filling steamed stuffed bun
CN107279245A (en) A kind of production method of cooled fresh-keeping beef
Drummond et al. 11 effects of chilling and freezing on safety and quality of food products
CA2896005A1 (en) Method for making tuna salad
KR102106277B1 (en) Method for manufacturing the chilled processed food of red snow crab including crab-shells
JP4469641B2 (en) Frozen food production method and obtained frozen food
US20120263832A1 (en) Method and Apparatus for Processing Clams

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
FZDE Dead

Effective date: 20200831