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

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 degrees 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 degrees C.