Optimization of Heat Processing of Farmed Atlantic Cod (<i>Gadus morhua</i>) Muscle with Respect to Cook Loss, Water Holding Capacity, Color, and Texture

Abstract

Abstract Convenience products of fish that are heat processed in-pack are often subjected to a compromise between quality and durability within the framework of required safety. The purpose of this study was to provide knowledge for optimizing pasteurization of cod muscle by quantifying changes in water holding capacity (WHC), cook loss, color, and texture within a wide range of processing times and temperatures. A heat load equivalent to 2 min at 70°C may be applied to the cod while maintaining the WHC above 66%, the cook loss below 5.6%, and keeping hardness and whiteness low, provided that the processing temperature is kept in the range 68 ± 4°C. Keywords: thermal processingwater losswater holding capacitycook lossAtlantic cod Gadus morhua Acknowledgments This work is part of the project "Innovative and Safe Seafood—Processing, Hygiene, Spectroscopy" funded by the Research Council of Norway (NFR project no. 186905).