Seafood sterilization
Everything you need to know about canned seafood sterilization
Seafood, lots of minerals and few calories
Seafood provides proteins of high biological value, since it contains the 9 essential amino acids for our organism. It has the same amount of protein as meat or eggs. In addition, it is rich in:
It is rich in proteins of high biological value.
Provides B complex vitamins, especially folic acid, A, D and E.
It is a source of minerals, such as iodine, iron, potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium.
It is low in calories (less than 100 Kcal per 100 grams) and fat (less than 2%).
Seafood consumption
The OECD and FAO expect an increase in demand for fish and seafood over the next decade, driven by changes in food preferences and growing concern about health, nutrition and diet. Due to its nutritional characteristics, experts recommend consuming between 1 and 2 servings of seafood per week.
It should be noted that during the pandemic, consumption of fishery and aquaculture products increased, with greater consumption of fresh fish, frozen fish, seafood, mollusks, crustaceans and canned fish and mollusks. The latter, canned fisheries, have experienced the highest demand in recent years.
Types of seafood
The classification of seafood is very varied. This is due to the fact that it includes:
There are more than 67,000 known species, and those we consume include: lobster, brown crab, prawn, shrimp, crab, red prawn, spider crab, Norway lobster, mantis shrimp, king prawn, velvet swimming crab, barnacle and slipper lobster.
They can be uncovered or covered by a shell. The ones that concern us are those that live on the seabed or are fixed to the rocks. Within this category, we can distinguish two groups:
- Bivalve mollusks: with more than 10,000 species, they have two shells, a muscular foot and a radula near the mouth to scrape their food. Within this group, we find clams, scallops, mussels and oysters, among others.
- Cephalopods: with more than 800 species, they are unique because of their softer shells that may weaken or disappear over time. Within this group we find octopus, cuttlefish and squid.
Sea urchins and sea cucumbers are edible examples of the approximately 7,000 species.
Canned foods and ready-made meals with seafood
On the market we can find:
- Gourmet canned seafood such as marinated mussels, cockles in their own juice, bay scallops in garlic or scallop sauce, cuttlefish in their own ink, octopus in olive oil, prawns in natural sauce, squid in sauce, etc.
- Canned seafood preparations such as pates of red prawns, mussels, crab, octopus, prawns, oyster, velvet crab and spider crab; or lobster and octopus puddings.
- Dishes prepared with seafood: paella, noodles.
- Broths.
- Stir-fries and sauces.
Most canned foods are usually sterilized and presented in cans or glass jars. There are also restaurants and brands that offer vacuum-packed and pasteurized seafood, such as cockles in their juice, cooked scallops or octopus.
How to produce canned foods with seafood
After harvesting seafood, it should be immediately processed in order not to lose its properties. First of all, the seafood must be washed and shelled, a process that will vary according to each type, in order to eliminate possible remains and separate the pieces conveniently. Afterwards, it can be prepared as desired.
For example, mussels must be cleaned and purified in treated seawater to eliminate bacteria and remove byssus, thus improving the quality of the product.
Once the seafood has been cleaned, if it is going to be marketed as a raw product, it is precooked with saturated steam, especially mollusks. It is placed in baskets and then precooked in order to apply a gentle heat treatment that softens the muscle, eliminates water and inactivates enzymes. Afterwards, the product is cooled, the shells are removed and it is packaged by adding covering liquid according to the recipe, and then sterilized.
On the other hand, if the seafood is going to be sold as part of ready-made meals, after cleaning, it is cooked according to the recipe, packaged and then pasteurized or sterilized, depending on the intended shelf life of the product.
Sterilization of canned seafood
To reduce or inactivate the growth of microorganisms in gourmet canned foods or ready-made meals, products must undergo a thermal process using an approved food autoclave, which will pasteurize or sterilize hermetically packed foods and enable them to comply with all current regulations.
The choice between pasteurization and sterilization will depend on the desired shelf life and whether the product will be sold at room temperature or as a refrigerated food. There is a wide variety of seafood products on the market, all of them packaged and prepared in many different ways.
pH of canned seafood
The pH indicates the level of acidity of food and influences the proliferation of microorganisms and the selection of the most appropriate thermal process.
The pH determines the time and temperature to which our preserves must be exposed in order to sterilize/pasteurize them correctly. Once the food is cooked, the pH of the final product may vary.
It is important to measure the pH of cooked products to establish the appropriate time and temperature in order to determine which thermal process should be applied.
pH < 4.5 | pH 4.5 – 5.5 | pH 5.5 – 7 |
|---|---|---|
Mussels in pickled sauce | Mussels in their natural state | Squid in its ink |
Crustaceans in their natural state | ||
Mollusks in their natural state |
F₀ - P₀ values for seafood sterilization.
The thermal values F₀ and P₀ determine the appropriate time and temperature to sterilize or pasteurize canned foods, ensuring the effectiveness of the heat treatment and minimizing as much as possible any change in the organoleptic properties and nutritional values of the food.
The F₀ value refers to sterilization with temperatures above 100°C, while P₀ applies to pasteurization at temperatures below 100°C.
Both F₀ and P₀ will always depend on the product, its ingredients and method of preparation, its container and, above all, the result we wish to achieve.
For this reason, we offer you a guideline scale to work from. In most cases, for sterilized seafood products, an F₀ value of between 6-8 is recommended.
Remember that pasteurized products that are not highly acidic should always be kept refrigerated after heat treatment.
Sterilization and pasteurization are the most laborious tasks when starting the production of gourmet canned foods or ready-made meals. Initially, it is necessary to perform multiple tests for each product, taking into account its pH and evaluating the results to determine the most appropriate heat treatment values.
Common problems in seafood sterilization
The greatest danger when preparing any seafood product is microorganisms. These organisms can come from the aquatic environment or be introduced during washing, transport, storage or, especially, during incorrect handling during product preparation.
The most common bacteria that can be found in seafood are: Clostridium botulinum, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio Cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Listeria monocytogenes. In addition, the most prominent virus in seafood is Norovirus, which is heat resistant up to 60ºC.
In the case of mussels and clams, if they are packed in brine, when sterilized, the brine becomes cloudy, due to the existence of soluble proteins, and the result is an unattractive appearance to the consumer. Therefore, before packaging, the product must be cooked and undergo an additional treatment consisting of a citric acid bath and subsequent immersion in diluted brine.
On the other hand, sterilized seafood has a very long shelf life, since from a microbiological point of view it is considered a totally safe canned food. In contrast, pasteurized products have a shorter shelf life, approximately three months, and must be kept refrigerated to prevent spore germination.
Recommended containers for canned seafood sterilization
Traditionally, the most commonly used containers for seafood preserves are cans, but some brands prefer glass containers for their gourmet products.
In the case of ready-made meals with seafood, they are usually presented in vacuum-packed plastic containers, punnets or trays.
Seafood sterilization with TERRA Food-Tech® autoclaves
The various features of TERRA Food-Tech® autoclaves for seafood sterilization turn a small piece of equipment into a great production partner that is cost-efficient, fast and versatile.
Adjustable F₀ - P₀
Accurately pasteurizes or sterilizes using F₀ and P₀ values
Rapid cooling
Rapid cooling through water shower to avoid product overcooking
Adjustable back pressure
Programmable back pressure value according to container type
Traceability for auditing
Manage and record the process from start to finish with our software
Accurate control
Continuous monitoring of processes thanks to the heart probe
Protection
Excellent security measures for users and their products
Success stories of canned foods and ready-made meals prepared with seafood
On the market there are a large number of gourmet canned foods and ready-made meals based on seafood. All these products can be found on the shelves of any supermarket or specialty store. Behind each one of these products there is a story, a manufacturing process and a period of trial and error. In our success stories we give you the opportunity to know these experiences personally.
More information about food sterilization
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