Hurdle Technology : An Approach for Preparation of Semi-Moist Prawn

There has been increase in demand for intermediate moisture foods for ready-to-cook and ready-to-serve meat products. A variety of products, such as kababs, tikkas, lollipops, fingers, patties, sausages prepared from mutton, chicken, pork, and beef are available. Currently, these products are marketed frozen, since they have limited shelf life at ambient temperature. There is increasing in demand for seafood and seafood based products especially ready-to-cook and ready-to-serve 'convenience' form. Present trends in marketing reflect a rapidly growing demand for such processed foods that are more convenient to handle, store and prepare. Hurdle technology is used in industrialized as well as in developing countries for the gentle and effective preservation of foods. The microbial safety and stability as well as the sensory and nutritional quality of most foods are based on an application of combined preservative factors called hurdles. However, the risks of pathogens can be avoided and meat products could be made shelf stable by employing hurdle technology. Keeping in view a new intermediate moisture food product was prepared from prawn and technology is discussed in this book.