Thermal processing of fishery products in flexible and rigid containers

Abstract

Thermal processing, one of the most widely used methods for fish preservation facilitates long-term stability for a wide range of seafood products. In thermal processing, food is preserved in hermetically sealed containers in cooked form for storage at ambient temperature, without compromising on the quality. Over the years, this technology has led to the evolution of new products and packs which have been readily accepted by consumers. This article reviews the early work on thermal processing in cans, its development through various stages, the concept of retort pouches for food processing, their evolvement as containers for thermal processing, different types of packaging films used, their advantages and disadvantages, different types of fish products that were developed in retort pouches and factors affecting heat penetration rate are elaborated. The changes in nutritional quality in terms of vitamins, colour, texture and microbial quality during thermal processing are also discussed.