Extending shelf life of desalted cod by high pressure processing

Summary

Salted fish need to be rehydrated before eaten, but rehydrated fish have a relatively short shelf life. To increase the shelf life the products can e.g. be frozen, packed in modified atmosphere or processed by high pressure (HPP). Here, rehydrated cod was packed with different packaging regimes; in vacuum, with CO2 emitter or in modified atmosphere [MAP], either alone or in combination with HPP. A shelf life study was performed, and headspace gas composition, drip loss, pH, colour, texture and microbial counts were assessed in the packaged and processed portions. The results showed that a shelf life of minimum 49 days can be obtained by treating the rehydrated cod by HPP or by combining HPP with modified atmosphere or in combination with a CO2 emitter. The results of this study have shown that different packaging and processing methods can increase the shelf life of desalted cod. Industrial relevance The growing trend and availability of “ready to cook” products are forcing the food industry to increase production of convenience products. Today desalted saltfish or clipfish need to be consumed immediately, stored chilled for a few days, stored frozen or being packed and/or processed to extend its shelf life. The use of high pressure processing represents a promising strategy to enhance the shelf-life of fish products. This study shows that HPP alone or combined with CO2 can extend the shelf life of rehydrated cod. Hence, these results can open up for new products.