Abstract

In previous paper(Lee et al., 1984), preparation formula and processing conditions of the fish meat (mackerel) paste using dielectric heating were described, that included the proper shape and size of product and the conditions of dielectric heating, hot air dehydration, and heating with electric heater to yield the minimum expansion and case hardening during heating and to controll the final rater activity of 0.86 to 0.83 accompanying with a complete reduction of viable cells and good texture. In present study, changes in VBN, pH, total plate count, water activity, texture, the loss of available lysine, color indexes, TBA value, and the content of TI were determined to assess the quality stability and shelf-life of the product during the storage for 35 days at $5^{\circ}C\;and\;25^{\circ}C$, respectively. And the effect of vacuum sealing and hot water treatment before storage on the storage stability of product was also mentioned. As the product was vacuum packed in K-flex film bag, heat treated in boiling water for 6 minutes, and stored, water activity was maintained 0.86 to 0.84 for 35 days regardless of storage temperature, and the increase of total plate count was negligible in case of $5^{\circ}C$ storage while tended to gain slightly after 25 days at $25^{\circ}C$ storage. Changes in VBN was also minimum with an increase of 1.5 mg/100g at $5^{\circ}C$ and 7.0mg/100g at $25^{\circ}C$, but in case of unpacked sample, it was 24.5mg/100g at $5^{\circ}C$ and 42.4 mg/100g at $25^{\circ}C$ even after 7 days. In textural property hardness tended to increase after 28 days and folding test score was down to A or B from AA grade. The loss of available lysine was $7.5\%\;at\;5^{\circ}C$ and $17.0\%\;at\;25^{\circ}C$ but brown color was not deeply developed as the color index score indicated. TBA value was not increased at $5^{\circ}C$ while it tended to increase rapidly after 30 days at $25^{\circ}C$. Changes in TI content was not obvious except that it showed a tendency of increase at the end of storage as well as in the change of lysine and TBA value. It is concluded from the results that the quality of the product, pasteurized and water activity controlled by dielectric heating, and vacuum packed in K-flex film would be stable for more than 35 days at $5^{\circ}C$ and at least 25 days even at room temperature.

Keywords