ABSTRACT
Minimal heat-treated fish products include a diverse group of products, example, hot smoked fish, mildly cooked fish, and pasteurized products like sous vide. The inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes has been suggested as a criterion for minimal heat treatment by the European Chilled Food Federation. Fish products have attracted considerable attention as a source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and fats. Fish is highly perishable and usually spoils faster than other muscle foods; thus, a well-designed process is of vital importance. Processed fish products can be separated into major categories, based on the extent of thermal processing or preservation. There are many thermal methods available for heat treatments of fish products: static or shaking retorting, microwave and radiofrequency heating, steaming, cooking, blanching, sterilization, pasteurization, evaporation, extrusion cooking, infrared, ohmic, dehydration, or drying. Smoking is a traditional fish preservation method, and both hot smoking and cold smoking have economic importance for the seafood market.
