ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Commercially available six opaque and three clear retortable pouches were evaluated based on physical parameters like thickness, oxygen, and water vapor transmission rates, tensile strength, elongation at break, bond strength, bursting strength, process resistance, migration residual air, and so on for their suitability for thermal processing. All pouches were found suitable for thermal processing, opaque pouches had lower oxygen and water vapor transmission rates compared to clear pouches. Imported clear pouch was superior than indigenously developed ones. Further analysis was conducted by using one opaque and three clear pouches for packaging of smoked tuna in natural pack. The heat penetration characteristics for processing of smoked tuna to a Fo value of 10 in the four pouces were recorded separately using CTF 9008 (Ellab, Roedovre, Denmark) temperature scanner recorder cum Fo and cook value integrator. The total process time was 42.01 min for opaque pouches (OP-E) and in clear pouches it was 33.83 min for CP-A, 38.04 min for CP-B, and 37.3 min for CP-C pouches respectively. Opaque pouches containing aluminum foil offer greater protection and shelf life than clear pouches, which allow visibility of the product packed in it.
