Studies on the Processing and Keeping Quality of Retort Pouched Foods (2) Preparation and Keeping Duality of Retort Pouched Seasoned-Oyster Products

In order to process instant foods which hold appropriate moisture contents and soft texture, four kinds of retort pouched seasoned-oyster products were prepared as control, seasoned products, solid smoked and liquid smoked product after seasoning and their processing conditions and quality stability during 100 days of storage were investigated. The optimum processing conditions of retort pouched seasoned-oyster product were as follows ; namely, raw oyster was seasoned at for 10 min with seasoning solution prepared from sugar, sorbitol, salt, monosodium glutamate and 5'-ribonucleotide and then dipped for 30 seconds in Smoke-EZ solution(Alpha Foods Co., Ltd.) after predried for 30 min in hot-air drier. After. smoking, the seasoned and liquid smoked oyster was dried at for 2.5 hours, vacuum packed in plastic film bag, and sterilized in a hot water circulating retort at for 16 min. Comparing their quality before and after sterilization, TBA value of all the products after sterilization slightly decreased and among texture profiles hardness, toughness and chewiness slightly decreased, while elasticity and cohesiveness were rarely changed. Color value (a value) of the product treated with solid smoke or liquid smoke increased after sterilization. During storage pH, VBM and water activity of all products changed little and TBA values of the solid smoked product and liquid smoked one were lower than that of the others. Viable cell count was negative and texture changed little during storage. As for color difference during storage, green meat appeared on the surface of control and seasoned product after 15 days storage, while the masking of green meat could achieved by solid and liquid smoking treatment. And liquid smelling treatment was more effective than solid smoking. As a conclusion, retort pouched seasoned-oyster product treated with liquid smoke kept their good quality during 100 days storage and it seemed to be consumed as one of the instant foods which hold appropriate moisture contents and soft texture.