Process for treatment of fish meat to produce raw material for production of powdered fish meat retaining fresh meat activity

Claim 2

In a process for bleaching fish meat by mixing the fish meat with an aqueous solution and then separatng the aqueous solution from the fish meat as a waste liquid, the improvement comprising reducing the amount of water-soluble proteins lost in the waste liquid by using, as the aqueous bleaching solution, an aqueous solution of at least one ester of a fatty acid and a sugar and at least one salt of an alkaline earth metal, said ester being present in an amount at least 0.001% by weight based on the weight of the fish meat treated, said aqueous solution having a pH near the isoelectric point of the protein in the fish meat.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1, wherein said fatty acid ester is tri-ester of a fatty acid having 16-18 carbon atoms and a sugar.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2, wherein said sugar is sorbitol, xylitol or mannitol.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1, wherein said salt is calcium chloride.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1, wherein said salt is magnesium chloride.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1, wherein said pH is within the range of 6.2 ± 0.1.

Claim 8

The process of claim 1, wherein said alkaline earth metal is selected from calcium and magnesium.

Claim 9

The process of claim 1, wherein said sugar is sucrose.

Claim 10

In a process for bleaching fish meat wherein the fish meat is mixed with an aqueous solution and the aqueous solution is subsequently separated and discarded as a waste liquid, the improvement comprising reducing the amount of water-soluble protein lost in the waste liquid by conducting the bleaching step in two separate stages, in the first stage contacting the fish meat with a first aqueous solution containing at least one ester of a fatty acid and a sugar and subsequently, in the second stage, contacting the fish meat with a second aqueous solution containing at least one salt of an alkaline earth metal, said ester being present in the bleach solution in an amount at least 0.001% by weight based on the weight of fish meat treated, and said first and second aqueous solutions each having a pH near the isoelectric point of the protein in the fish meat.

Claim 11

In a process for bleaching fish meat wherein the fish meat is mixed with an aqueous solution and the aqueous solution is subsequently separated and discarded as a waste liquid, the improvement comprising reducing the amount of water-soluble protein lost in the waste liquid by conducting the bleaching step in two separate stages, in the first stage contacting the fish meat with a first aqueous solution containing at least one ester of a fatty acid and a sugar and subsequently, in the second stage, contacting the fish meat with a second aqueous solution containing at least one salt of an alkaline earth metal, said ester being present in the bleach solution in an amount at least 0.001% by weight based on the weight of fish meat treated, and said first and second aqueous solutions each having a pH near the isoelectric point of the protein in the fish meat.

Claim 12

The process of claim 9, wherein said alkaline earth metal is selected from calcium and magnesium, said ester is selected from esters of fatty acids having 16-18 carbon atoms and a sugar, and wherein said pH is within the range of 6.2 ± 0.1.

Claim 13

The process of claim 10, wherein said sugar is sucrose.

Claim 14

A process for the manufacture of a fish meat powder wherein water-soluble proteins are retained in the fish meat powder, said process comprising: bleaching fish meat with an aqueous bleaching solution of at least one ester of a fatty acid and a sugar and at least one salt of an alkaline earth metal, said ester being present in the bleach solution in an amount at least 0.001% by weight based on the weight of fish meat treated, and said solution having a pH value near the isoelectric point of the protein in the fish meat; separating said fish meat from said aqueous bleaching solution; and forming a sol of said fish meat in the presence of a sugar and a fatty acid ester thereof; adjusting the pH of the sol to a value near the isoelectric point of the protein in the fish meat; and spray-drying said sol to form the fish meat powder.

Claim 15

A process for the manufacture of a fish meat powder wherein water-soluble proteins are retained in the fish meat powder, said process comprising: bleaching fish meat with an aqueous bleaching solution of at least one ester of a fatty acid and a sugar and at least one salt of an alkaline earth metal, said ester being present in the bleach solution in an amount at least 0.001% by weight based on the weight of fish meat treated, and said solution having a pH value near the isoelectric point of the protein in the fish meat; separating said fish meat from said aqueous bleaching solution; and forming a sol of said fish meat in the presence of a sugar and a fatty acid ester thereof; adjusting the pH of the sol to a value near the isoelectric point of the protein in the fish meat; and spray-drying said sol to form the fish meat powder.