New Product Development from Marine Sources and Side Streams Valorization Using Nonthermal Processing Technologies

Abstract

AbstractFish and seafood are highly prized commodities. However, their high perishability limits their commercialization and leads to waste due to their short shelf life. Nonthermal processing may inhibit microbial spoilage and enzymatic reactions and consequently extend shelf life, without affecting the nutritional value and functional properties of food. Technologies such as high pressure, osmotic dehydration, pulsed electric fields and cold plasma, have been introduced as alternative or complementary to the conventional post-harvest fish and seafood processing methods.The current practice for convenient fish and seafood products generates large quantities of side streams and waste, including, heads, viscera and fillet cut offs, which may account up to 70% of the production. Nonthermal processing enables the efficient and sustainable recovery of valuable and bioactive ingredients and fractions and the development of novel applications in food production, in health promoting foods, feeds, nutraceuticals product design and in energy production. Shelf life extension by nonthermal processing and improved utilization of side streams will increase the availability of sustainable, high quality fish and seafood and establish more diverse ways to process and market fish based products. This can be the basis for zero waste strategy in fish production, enhancing circular economy in fisheries and aquaculture sectors.KeywordsHigh pressurePulsed electric fieldsOsmotic dehydrationCold plasmaSupercritical fluid extractionFishSeafood