RU2847167C2 - Method for preparation of food paste of whole shellfish and shellfish - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: food industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to food industry and may be used for preparation of whole mussels and shellfish paste. Method involves grinding and heating of raw material, wherein raw material used is raw whole molluscs and shellfish, which are mixed with water are placed in equipment. Hydrodynamic cavitator is used, which simultaneously provides fine grinding, homogenization of raw material and its heating from 50 °C to 98 °C due to endogenous heat release when cavitation appears in water-raw material mixture.

EFFECT: invention ensures preparation of food pastes with high nutritive value with minimum quantity of equipment and operations.

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Description

The invention relates to the food industry, namely to a method for preparing paste from whole mollusks and crustaceans using their raw whole body as raw material.

Currently, there are many varieties of crustacean food products, the most common of which is shrimp paste. Most varieties of shrimp paste are produced by fermentation under high salinity conditions at room temperature for up to a year, or by high-temperature simmering after fermentation under artificial heating for several days, followed by sterilization at high temperature and high pressure. The raw materials for shrimp paste are mainly obtained by adding enzymatic hydrolysate and gelatinized starch to shrimp. Some varieties of shrimp paste are prepared by adding salted fish sauce, clam sauce, and bone sauce to the seasoning sauce. Rarely, shrimp paste varieties use whole shrimp as the raw material. The production cycle for traditional types of shrimp paste is lengthy, requiring high-temperature processing, high-pressure processing, fermentation, and other processes, and the technology is complex. Furthermore, the freshness and distinctive aroma of shrimp paste are unsatisfactory, and the salt content is high. Traditional shrimp paste typically contains at least 25% salt, and its nutritional value is low, making it difficult to meet consumer demands for improved flavor and nutritional value.

A method for producing a protein paste—a semi-finished product called "Ocean" (GOST 24645-81)—from raw krill is known. It is used as an additive in the production of minced canned goods and in cooking. This method involves grinding the raw krill and freezing the resulting mass.

However, the known method is not suitable for obtaining a mature paste with a creamy consistency from seafood, since simply chopping them and then freezing them does not ensure the formation of a uniform creamy consistency and a bouquet of ripening in the product.

A known method for preparing a creamy product from aquatic organisms is as follows. The raw material is defrosted in air or water at a water:raw material ratio of 2:1, cut up, and the entrails, shells, and shell fragments are removed. The cut up raw material is soaked for 8-12 minutes in water at a temperature of 80-98°C at a water:seafood ratio of 2:1 or 1.5:1.

Rinse until the skin and foreign matter are completely removed from the surface of the meat.

The meat is treated with a dry curing mixture, which includes an enzyme preparation, table salt in a ratio of 1:3 to 1:50 and an antiseptic (sodium benzoate or sorbic acid) in an amount of 0.05% of the mass of the raw material being cured.

The processed seafood is placed in a salting container, pressed in rows, and kept at a temperature of 0 to minus 2°C for 4-6 days. The matured salted meat is rinsed under running water to remove any enzyme residue from the surface and left to drain for 10-15 minutes.

The washed seafood is ground twice: first in a grinder with a grid hole diameter of 2-3 mm, then in an ATIM fine grinding machine or a cutter, adding flavor additives: butter margarine in the amount of 5% of the raw material weight and sodium benzoate in the amount of 0.05%.

In special cases where the protein content of seafood tissue is less than 15% and the moisture content is greater than 81%, sodium tripolyphosphate is added to the flavoring to increase the water-holding capacity of the proteins at a rate of 0.3-0.4% of the raw material weight. The product is chopped for 15 minutes at 14-16°C, after which it is packaged in glass, polymer, or tin containers. The product is either sold immediately or stored at 0 to minus 6°C for 3-3.5 months. (RU 2040189, A23L 1/325, A23B 4/23).

The disadvantage of the described method is the complexity of the technology with a large number of operations and equipment, the addition of an enzyme preparation prepared from the entrails of crustaceans to the paste, and the presence of chemicals that impair the organoleptic properties of the product.

The objective of this invention is to prepare food pastes from raw whole mollusks and crustaceans without the use of chemical additives and enzyme preparations, with a minimum amount of equipment and operations, to obtain a finely ground pasteurized product with high nutritional value and high gastronomic properties.

The solution to this problem is a method for preparing food paste from whole mollusks and crustaceans that involves grinding, dispersing, and heating fresh or frozen prepared raw materials. A novel feature of this method is that raw or frozen whole mollusks and crustaceans are used as raw materials, and heating to temperatures ranging from 50°C to 98°C and fine grinding of the raw materials are performed simultaneously using equipment that generates endogenous heat through hydrodynamic cavitation in the water-raw material mixture, with or without the addition of other ingredients.

The technical result of producing a new, valuable food product with a minimum of equipment and operations is achieved by combining raw or frozen whole mollusks or crustaceans with hydrodynamic cavitation for simultaneous dispersion and pasteurization, resulting in a new, unexpected result. This results in a new, high-quality product, a homogeneous, paste-like mass containing proteins, carbohydrates, and biologically active chitin dissolved in water. During the paste preparation process, in the presence of water and under the influence of hydrodynamic cavitation, the chitin compounds undergo hydrolysis, transforming into chitosans, a more beneficial compound that is easily digested in the human gastrointestinal tract. The endoskeletons of the whole mollusks are transformed into a suspension of bioactive Ca and Mg compounds.

Whole shellfish and crustacean paste is pasteurized and finely ground without the use of additional heat sources or grinding devices, thanks to hydrodynamic cavitation in the water-raw material mixture, with minimal contact with equipment components heated above 100°C. The product's consistency is achieved by dissolving natural thickeners contained in the raw materials, as well as by coagulating protein compounds and forming emulsions and dispersions. The paste-producing unit is simple to manufacture, compact, and highly productive. For example, processing 1 ton of shrimp requires a 20 ^m2 room, one unit, two people, 60 kW of electricity, and 1 hour of processing time.

The technological process for preparing food paste from crustaceans and whole mollusks includes the following stages:

cleaning of large impurities from raw or frozen bodies, without the use of

defrosting, if necessary,

dispersion and pasteurization.

Implementation of the invention.

Heating of raw materials to temperatures from 50°C to 98°C is performed in order to provide optimal conditions for the following processes:

- breakdown of the cellular structure, as heating helps to break down the cell walls of whole shellfish or crustaceans, which allows for better extraction of nutrients and beneficial components;

- increasing the availability of nutrients, since high temperature improves the availability of protein, fat and other nutrients, which increases their absorption by the body when consuming the product;

- destruction of microorganisms, since elevated temperatures help destroy harmful microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses that may be present in the raw product, which prevents the occurrence of foodborne infections and extends the shelf life of the finished product.

- enzyme activation, as heating can activate enzymes contained in whole shellfish or crustaceans, which facilitates the digestion and absorption of food.

Thus, heating to the specified temperature plays an important role in the processing of raw materials before their subsequent processing and transformation into a finished product, creating a barrier to the volatilization of beneficial substances, which is an important factor in the preparation of paste.

This method for preparing edible paste from whole shellfish and crustaceans is effective and ensures a high-quality final product. Let's examine the steps in more detail.

Raw material washing. At the beginning of the process, raw materials, which can be either raw or frozen, undergo a thorough washing to remove contaminants, especially marine mud, sand, and other foreign substances. Washing helps ensure the cleanliness and hygiene of the product.

Dispersion (grinding) and pasteurization. To produce food paste from whole shellfish and crustaceans, the raw materials must be ground and pasteurized. However, in this method, these two stages are performed simultaneously using specialized equipment. This ensures optimal results, as pasteurization during grinding preserves flavor, aroma, and nutrients, while maintaining high levels of product safety.

Endogenous heat generation. This method utilizes hydrodynamic cavitation in the water-raw material mixture. When cavitation occurs, endogenous (internal) heat is generated, which facilitates gentler and more uniform heating and pasteurization of the product. This avoids the loss of flavor and nutrients that can occur with traditional heating methods. Cavitation also generates ultrasound, which is destructive to pathogenic microflora.

Stopping the grinding process. When grinding a product, temperature control is essential to prevent overheating and protein coagulation. This method allows grinding to be stopped before the protein coagulation temperature is reached, preserving its texture and softness, if necessary.

The result of all these process steps is a semi-finished product—a edible paste made from whole shellfish and crustaceans. This semi-finished product can be used in further preparation of various dishes or as a base for sauces, soups, pastas, and other culinary products.

Preparing edible paste from whole shellfish and crustaceans using this method offers several advantages. Firstly, simultaneous grinding and pasteurization preserves the product's flavor, aroma, and nutrients, ensuring its safety. Secondly, the use of hydrodynamic cavitation promotes more uniform heating and pasteurization of the product due to the endogenous heat generation, eliminating contact between the product and the equipment body, which is heated above 100°C. Finally, temperature control during the grinding process preserves the product's texture and tenderness.

The endoskeleton of whole mollusks, composed of bioactive calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) compounds, can, under certain conditions, transform into a suspension. This process typically occurs after the mollusks die or are damaged. Let's examine why this occurs in more detail.

The exoskeleton of mollusks is composed of calcium carbonate, a substance that is a key component of many organic structures, including shells, barnacles, and mollusk shells. Calcium carbonate is strong and rigid enough to maintain the mollusk's body shape and protect it from environmental influences.

However, when a mollusk dies or is damaged, a number of physiological changes occur within its body. First and foremost, organic components, including proteins and other organic structures that form the mollusk's skeletal matrix, are destroyed and decomposed. Furthermore, the death of a mollusk can lead to a change in the pH of the environment, which further facilitates the dissolution of calcium carbonate.

When the mollusk's skeletal matrix breaks down and the organic components decompose, calcium carbonate is released and can go into solution. The surrounding water is rich in carbon dioxide (CO2), and high CO2 levels promote further dissolution of calcium carbonate.

Thus, under the influence of physical and chemical factors, the mollusk's endoskeleton gradually transforms into a suspension of bioactive calcium and magnesium compounds. This process can take varying amounts of time, depending on environmental conditions and the state of the mollusk's body.

Bioactive calcium and magnesium compounds formed as a result of the mollusk's endoskeleton being suspended may play an important role in the ecosystem. They can serve as a food source for other organisms and also influence the chemical balance and health of the aquatic environment.

In conclusion, the transformation of the shellfish endoskeleton into a suspension of bioactive Ca and Mg compounds is a natural process that occurs as a result of the decomposition and dissolution of calcium carbonate after the shellfish dies or is damaged. This process plays an important role in the ecosystem and can have various environmental consequences. Thus, the resulting product has a lower environmental impact during disposal and decomposes more quickly in natural conditions.

The resulting semi-finished product can be used in a variety of dishes or as a base for sauces, soups, and other culinary products. This makes this method of preparing edible paste from whole shellfish (mollusks) and crustaceans efficient and ensures a high-quality end product.

For example, 200 kg of raw shrimp are placed in the disperser's working chamber using a hydrodynamic cavitator manufactured under patent application No. 2023112147/12 (025844, dated May 11, 2023). Water is added, and the device is turned on until the product exits with a fineness of up to 500 µm. The time to produce 200 kg of paste was 20 minutes, including 15 minutes of preparation and 5 minutes of loading. The temperature of the water-raw material mixture in the cavitator reaches 85° - 95°C, the product is pasteurized, protein coagulation occurs, and a paste is formed. Salt, sugar, spices, a preservative, and vegetable or animal fats can then be added, or simultaneously, and the finished product is packaged. The time required to prepare raw materials and pack finished raw materials using a semiautomatic machine is from 15 to 45 minutes.

The resulting paste is a source of protein, fat, and chitin. Crustacean shell chitin, under the influence of cavitation and friction in the presence of water, is converted into chitosan, a biologically active substance. The crushed product passes more easily through the gastrointestinal tract and acts as a natural absorbent.

The proposed paste preparation method produces a delicious food product from inexpensive raw materials, containing polysaccharides and calcium and magnesium compounds with antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties. The finished product is packaged in consumer containers. It can then be sterilized or frozen to extend its shelf life. Raw materials are not selected for the product, with the exception of spoiled products, and animal body parts are not separated using cumbersome and energy-intensive equipment. The product is homogenized, pasteurized, and acquires new nutritional properties simultaneously with the grinding process. The finished product is packaged using a hot-fill method, with or without the addition of organic acids or other food ingredients. Expensive, energy-intensive, and hazardous grinders, cutters, and pasteurizers are not used in production. The production is waste-free.

Furthermore, the proposed method opens the possibility of organizing the production of a new generation of food products. The main obstacle to using, for example, small shrimp is the need to organize their catch and primary processing, as fishermen lack the motivation to perform these tasks. A solution is to include a clause in the Fishing Regulations requiring the complete processing of all shrimp brought aboard, including small ones. Furthermore, the shrimp catch quota per vessel should be adjusted to account for the increased catch volume. The proposed method will help solve the problem of completely processing all mollusks and crustaceans brought aboard a fishing vessel, including small ones.

Thus, a method has been developed that makes it possible to produce a healthy food product from whole mollusks and crustaceans.

Claims (1)

A method for preparing a food paste from mollusks and crustaceans, including grinding and heating the raw materials, characterized in that raw whole mollusks and crustaceans are used as raw materials, which, mixed with water, are placed in equipment using a hydrodynamic cavitator, which simultaneously ensures fine grinding, homogenization of the raw materials and their heating from 50 to 98°C due to the release of endogenous heat when cavitation occurs in the water-raw material mixture.