A FOOD PRODUCT ON THE BASIS OF FISH FLESH AND A PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION THEREOF

Abstract: A food production the basis of fish flesh and intended for cooking before consumption comprises in a mixture a first main component consisting of disintegrated whitefish flesh and a second main component consisting of disintegrated crustacean flesh, and also texturizing and binding agents comprising texture-imparting extruded protein fibres, water and conventional additives The crustacean flesh is preferably krill flesh, particularly flesh from Euphausia superba, and the protein fibres are preferably soy protein fibres. The food product can be prepared by mixing 20 to 45% by weight of disintegrated whitefish flesh, 15 to 45% by weight of disintegrated crustacean flesh, up to 30% by weight of protein fibres, 10 to 18% by weight of farinaceous binder, and up to 15% by weight of water, and furthermore additives, shaping of the mixture in portions and optionally freezing. The shaped product, e.g. of the shape of a hamburger, can be cooked by frying or broiling. The product obtained has a high nutritional value and a good texture and can be given a shrimp-like taste by using flesh from the krill occurring in enormous quantities which are thereby utilized for human food in an improved manner.

Description: A food product on the basis of fish flesh and a process for the preparation thereof. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a food product on the basis of fish flesh and intended for. cooking before consumption. The invention also relates to a process for the preparation of such a food product in a shape suit¬ able for cooking, and a process for the preparation of such a shaped food product in a cooked condition. BACKGROUND OF ART Various food products on the basis of fish flesh are known, these often being formed into a suitable shape for cooking by frying, broiling or boiling. It may be a question of slices of pure fish flesh, e.g. cod flesh, or fillets of fish shaped into rolls and usually provided with a breadcrumb or similar coating, which products may be cooked by grilling, frying on a pan or ' deep-fat frying. Furthermore, products based on comminuted fish flesh are known, such as balls or rolls of cream of fish, which in addition to the fish flesh contain the usual ingredients of cream of fish, such as flour, milk and eggs. Besides fish flesh proper a special kind of cru- stacean flesh or meat has aroused great interest in re¬ cent years, viz. flesh from the so-called krill (Mega- nyctiphanes norvegica, Thysandoessa iner is, Euphausia superba) , which are crustaceans belonging to macroplank- ton that exist in enormous quantities in the sea. The euphasiid krill (Euphausia superba) which is a red shrimp-like crustacean of about 2.5 cm in size, exist in enormous quantities in the sea around the * Antarctic where they constitute the main food for baleen whales . Since they are found near the surface of the sea they are relatively easily caught, and due to the problems, inter alia, of overfishing of finfish and the precautions thereagainst, an extensive catching of these euphausiid krill takes place in the course of time. They are in par¬ ticular used for the production of "fishmeal". They have also been used for the preparation of human food. Refe¬ rence may be made, e.g., to the following literature: V.P. Bykov, "Biological value of Antarctic krill and possibility of their utilization for human consumption" in Oceanology International 75, 16/21, March 1975, Brighton, England, pp. 361-353, and L.L. Lagunov, "Utilization of krill for human consumption in fishery products" edited by R. Kreuzer, West Byfleet, Surrey, Fishing News (Books) Ldt. for FAO, pp. 247-250. The re¬ covering of the krill flesh takes place mechanically and can take place,, e.g., on the fishing boat immediately after the catching. Thereby the krill flesh is obtained in a comminuted or disintegrated condition as a paste which can be frozen down. Without much success it has been attempted to use this paste for human food, for example in the form of a coagulate or as an addition to salads or sausages. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION It has now been found that the above-mentioned comminuted or disintegrated krill flesh by being mixed with disintegrated whitefish flesh and certain structur- izing or texturizing agents can provide an excellent food product which after cooking, e.g. by frying or broiling has an excellent taste more or less resembling the taste of shrimp according to the proportion of krill flesh, and an excellent more or less meat-like texture. More¬ over, the product has a great nutritional value. While on one hand the krill flesh becomes utilized for human food through the above-mentioned food product, on the other hand a similarly excellent food product is obtain- able if another kind of crustacean flesh is substituted for the krill flesh in the above-mentioned product. Accordingly the invention relates to a food product on the basis of fish flesh and intended for cooking be- fore consumption, which food product is characterized by comprising in a mixture a first main component consisting of disintegrated whitefish flesh and a second main compo¬ nent consisting of disintegrated crustacean flesh, and also texturizing and binding agents comprising texture- imparting extruded protein fibres and, ^ if necessary, se¬ parately added water and, if desired, flavouring agents, colouring agents, preservatives and similar additives. The term "disintegrated" in connection with white- fish flesh is generally to be understood herein as covering fish flesh which has been minced in conventional apparatus therefor , usually into a comminuted- condition, and the said term in connection with crustacean flesh has a similar meaning or covers crustacean flesh which in connection with a separating process for removing shells and the like has obtained a comminuted consisten¬ cy, the latter usually being the case regarding to krill. The food product of the invention will generally comprise about 20 to 45% by weight of whitefish flesh, about 15 to 45% by weight of crustacean flesh and up to about 30% by weight of texture-imparting protein fibres. Moreover, it will generally comprise up to about 15% by weight of added water, about 10 to 18% by weight of a farinaceous binding agent, about 7 to 8% by weight of breadcrumbs, and up to about 1.5% by weight of flavour- ing agents and similar additives. While the relative proportions of whitefish flesh and crustacean flesh determinethe intensity of the taste of the crustacean concerned, the texture of the cooked ready-to-eat product would be capable of being varied by means of the proportion of texture-imparting protein fibres, for example such that said product has almost the same texture as a boiled or fried shrimp, and cor¬ responding thereto, as will appear from the foregoing, the product may be given shrimp taste by means of krill 5 flesh. By varying the proportion of protein fibres it is also possible to obtain, e.g., a product which after frying gets almost the same texture as a hamburger, and such a product may desirably contain % by weight 10 Whitefish flesh about 23 Crustacean flesh about 30.5 • Protein fibres about 11.5 Water, added about 15- Farinaceous binder about 10.5 15 Breadcrumbs about 7.5 Flavouring agents etc. about 1.5 It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the crustacean flesh is desirably flesh from krill (Meganyc- tiphanes norvegica, Thysandoessa inermis, Euphausia 20 superba) , particularly from Euphausia superba. As whitefish- flesh,various types can be used,, for example flesh from cod (e.g. Gadus morhua and/or Gadus callarias, Gadus macrocephalus, Eleginus navaga, Elegi- nus gracilis, Trisopterus minutus, Boreogadus saida, 25 Gadus ogac) , flesh from blue whiting (e.g. Micromesisti- us poutassou and/or Gadus poutassou) , flesh from Alaska pollack (e.g. Theragra Chalcogramma) , flesh from haddock (e.g. Melanogrammus aeglefinus) , flesh from saithe (e.g. Pollachius virens) , or flesh from hake (e.g. Merluccius 30 merluccius, Merluccius hubbsi, Merluccius bilinearis, Merluccius capensis, Merluccius gayi, Merluccius senega- lensis, Merluccius productus, Merluccius mediteraneus, Merluccius polli, Urophycis chuss, Urophycis tenuis) . The texture-imparting protein fibres used are 35 generally of the known type which has a meat-like text- ure and which is obtained by extrusion at high tempera¬ ture and pressure of a proteinaceous mixture, e.g. of vegetable protein, and the protein fibres are desirably soy protein fibres. As farinaceous binding agent in the food product of the invention a combination of cold water soluble starch and hot water soluble starch may desirably be used. As cold water soluble starch, a product known as "Reformed fish" may for example be used, which in de- creasing amounts consists of starch, spy protein, salt, sugar, emulsifier, edible oil, wheat flour, monosodium glutamate, colouring agent and citric acid. Thus, through the latter product various additives are added at the same time. As hot water soluble starch, a product may for example be used which is sold under the trade name "Tre- comex AET 1" (sold by Lyckeby Starkelsesforadling AB, Lyckeby, Sweden) . The combination of cold water soluble starch and hot water soluble starch contributes to a de¬ sirable retention of moisture in the food product of the invention, both before and after its preparation by cooking. The breadcrumbs used act like the protein fibres as a structurizing or texturizing constituent and are of a conventional type. Any desirable flavouring agents may be used which are approved for food and can bring out or modify the predominant taste of the food product, originating from the crustacean flesh. Furthermore, if desired or neces¬ sary, conventional additives of various kinds may be used as is usual in the field concerned. The food pro- duct of the invention will usually be prepared in a de¬ finite shape suitable for cooking and of a suitable size and, therefore, the invention also relates to a process for the preparation thereof, said process being charact¬ erized by mixing about 20 to 45% by weight of disinte- grated whitefish flesh, about 15 to 45% by weight of OMH disintegrated crustacean flesh, up to about 30% by weight of texture-imparting extruded protein fibres of a suit¬ able size, and about 10 to 18% by weight of a farinaceous binding agent and, if necessary, up to about 15% by weight 5 of water and, if desired, flavouring agents, colouring agents, preservatives, and similar additives, shaping the mixture in portions to a form suitable for cooking, and optionally freezing and packaging the shaped product. Particularly, a process for the preparation of the 10 food product of the invention in sliced form is charact¬ erized by mixing the following ingredients, the first three in a suitable disintegrated condition: - % by weight Whitefish flesh about 23 15 Crustacean flesh (particularly krill flesh) about 30.5 Protein fibres (particularly soy protein fibres) about 11. .5 Water (added) about 15 20 Farinaceous binder about 10. .5 Breadcrumbs about 7. .5 Flavouring agents etc. about 1. .5 shaping the mixture in portions to sliced form and op¬ tionally freezing and packaging the shaped product. 25 Such a sliced product may have the shape of a ham¬ burger and after frying or broiling, particularly grill¬ ing, it may be presented in the form of a sandwich with sandwich bread or a sandwich bun. When having a suitable composition the food product 30 of the invention may also be shaped as the known rolls made of minced fish flesh or cream of fish, or as a shrimp or similar minor unit, and before consumption products shaped in such a way may be subjected to frying or broiling, if desired after a suitable breading or 35 similar coating, including coating with tempura batter. MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In a typical preparation of the food product of the invention the production process, including various preliminary operations, takes place as follows: A) Working up comminuted whitefish mass either by 1. disintegrating whole fish in a flesh separator and subsequently separating any gristle and skin rem¬ nants, or by 2. bringing frozen blocks of pre- anufactured com- minuted ' whitefish mass to a temperature of +3 C. B) Bringing frozen crustacean flesh to a tempera¬ ture of +3°C. C) Mincing or comminuting crustacean flesh into a suitable consistency, unless as in the case of krill it already exists in a suitable comminuted consistency. D) Dehydrating protein fibres (soy protein fibres). E) Chopping fibres into a suitable size. F) Weighing out additives-. G) Weighing out whitefish flesh and crustacean flesh for the individual charges. H) Mixing in a forced mixer or high-speed mincer. When using a high-speed mincer, the protein fibres are not pretreated. During the mixing process the additives are added. I) Preparing a shaped product, for example a ham¬ burger-shaped product, on an automatic portioning and moulding machine. J) Freezing and packaging. For any addition of water during this production process ice water is used, or optionally ice in scale form, in order to keep the temperature suitably low. Example 1 By the above-mentioned production process a ham- burger-shaped product of the following composition is prepared: % by weight Whitefish flesh about 23 Krill flesh about 30.5 Soy protein fibres about 11.5 5 Water (added) about 15.3 Cold-soluble starch about 5.3 Hot-soluble starch about 5.3 Breadcrumbs * about 7.5 Flavouring agents etc. about 1.5 10 The product obtained may be fried or broiled, e.g. grilled, and presented as a "fish steak sandwich", it being interposed.between the two halves of a sandwich bun cut in two, with the desired accompaniment. In fry¬ ing or broiling, such a "fish steak product" only 15 shrinks about 7%. By way of comparison a so-called ham¬ burger on a beef basis shrinks about 37% in frying. As compared with a hamburger the nutrient content of the krill-steak of the invention is as follows: Ap -α -roxi ate nutrie-nt content o—ar 100. —r 20 Krill-steak Hamburger Protein 24.1 g 16 g Fat 1.0 g 24 g Carbohydrates 0.7 g 0. g It is seen that the krill-steak has a considerably 25 lower fat content than the hamburger and a greater con¬ tent of the nutritionally important protein. Example 2-4 To obtain food products of the invention with 30 varying taste and texture relative to the product of Example 1 the following compositions (approxiπate amounts in % by weight) may be used: 35 Example 2 3. 4_ Whitefish flesh 20.0 35.0 20.0 Crustacean flesh 20.0 35.0 15.0 Soya fibres 20.0 10.0 30.0 Water (added) 20.0 10.0 15.0 Flavouring agents etc. 1.0 3.0 2.0 Cold-soluble starch ("reformed fish") 4.5 3.5 5.0 Hot-soluble starch (cereal, corn, potato starch) 4 5 1.5 5.0 Breadcrumbs 10.0 2.0 8.0 OMH

Claims: P A T E N T . C L A I M S 1. A food product on the basis of fish flesh and in¬ tended for cooking before consumption, characterized by comprising in a mixture a first main component consisting of disintegrated whitefish flesh and a second main com¬ ponent consisting of disintegrated crustacean flesh, and also texturizing and binding agents comprising texture- imparting extruded protein fibres and, if necessary, separately added water and, if desired, flavouring agents, colouring agents, preservatives and similar additives. 2. - A food product according to claim 1, characterized by comprising about 20 to 45% by weight of whitefish flesh, about 15 to 45% by weight of crustacean flesh and up to about 30% by weight of texture—imparting protein fibres. 3. A food product according to claim 2, characterized by also comprising up to about 15% by weight of added water, about 10 to 18% by weight of a- farinaceous bind¬ ing agent, about 7 to 8% by m weight of breadcrumbs, and up to about 1.5% by weight of flavouring agents and similar additives. 4. A food product according to claim 3, characterized by containing % by weight Whitefish flesh about 23 Crustacean flesh about 30.5 Protein fibres about 11.5 Water, added about 15 Farinaceous binder about 10.5 Breadcrumbs about 7.5 Flavouring agents etc. about 1.5 5. A food product according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the crustacean flesh is flesh from krill (Meganyctiphanes norvegica, Thysandoessa inermis , Euphausia superba) , particularly from Euphausia superba. 6. A food product according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the protein fibres are soy pro¬ tein fibres. 7. A process for the preparation of a food product according to claim 1 in a shape suitable for cooking, characterized by mixing about 20 to 45% by weight of dis¬ integrated whitefish flesh, about 15 to 45% by weight of disintegrated crustacean flesh, up to about 30% by weight of texture-imparting extruded protein fibres of a suit- able size, and about 10 to 18% by weight of a farinaceous binding agent and, if necessary, up to " about 15% by weight of water and, if desired, flavouring agents, colouring agents, preservatives, and similar additives, shaping the mixture in portions to a form suitable for cooking, and optionally freezing and packaging the shaped produc . 8. A process according to claim 7 for the preparation of a food product in sliced form, characterized by mixing the following ingredients, the first three in a suitable disintegrated condition: % by weight Whitefish flesh about 23 Crustacean flesh (particularly krill flesh) about 30.5 Protein fibres (particularly soy protein fibres) about 11.5 Water (added) about 15 Farinaceous binder about 10.5 Breadcrumbs about 7.5 Flavouring agents etc. ' about 1.5 shaping the mixture in portions to sliced form and op- -' tionally freezing and packaging the shaped product. 9. A process for the preparation of a rood product according to claim 1 in a cooked condition, characterized in that a shaped product prepared according to claim 7 is subjected to frying or broiling, including deep-fat frying or grilling, if desired after a suitable breading or similar coating, including coating with tempura batter. 10. A process according to claim 9, characterized in that a product in sliced form prepared according to claim 8 is subjected to frying or broiling, particularly grill¬ ing, and presented, if desired, in the form of a sandwich with sandwich bread or a sandwich bun.

Inventors: BJERG POUL, HANSEN BENT SCHIOTT
Applicants: BALTIC FISH LTD APS, BJERG POUL, HANSEN BENT SCHIOTT
Application year: 1981
Main classification: A23L1
IPC codes: A23L1