Chapter Five - High pressure thermal processing for the modification of seafood texture

Abstract

The application of high pressure on muscle systems results in the denaturation of myofibrillar, sarcoplasmic, and connective tissue proteins leading to increased interaction and formation of aggregates stabilized by new noncovalent bonds. This makes high pressure processing particularly interesting for processing seafood muscles, which undergo excessive and rapid postmortem softening due to their weak connective tissue and the activity of endogenous proteolytic enzymes. Several studies showed that high pressure processing under appropriate conditions improves the texture (firmness) of fish muscle as opposed to thermal processing that results in brittle and flaky product. This chapter gives an overview of the effects of high pressure processing (HPP) at ambient and elevated temperatures (HPTP) on seafood texture followed by a case study describing the successful exploitation of high pressure-induced changes in muscle protein structure for the development of novel sliced-tuna products which are commercialized by Thai Union Group PCL.