Effect of Thermal Sterilization on the Selected Quality Attributes of Sweet and Sour Carp.

In this study, a traditional Chinese dish, a ready-to-eat sweet and sour carp was developed. The effects of sterilization temperature (110, 115, 121, and 130°C) on the selected properties, including heat penetration characteristics, as well as rheological, instrumental color, texture, and sensory attributes, were investigated at the same lethality value (F0) of 4.5 min. The results showed that the heat penetration parameters of cooking value (C-value) and the ratio of C-value to F0value (C-value/F0) exhibited an inverse relationship with processing temperature. The color and rheological properties of the sauce and the texture of the fish sterilized at 130°C were better preserved compared to those sterilized at other temperatures. The sensory attributes of the product sterilized at 130°C scored highest among the final products sterilized at the four temperatures. This study suggested that short-time sterilization at a high temperature can minimize the negative thermal impact on sweet and sour carp product, which would be feasible in the practical production. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]