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Canadian Northwest Territories Fish and Mammal Processing Plant
Canadian Northwest Territories Fish and Mammal Processing Plant A. W. Lantz and D. G. Iredale Fisheries Research Board of Canada Freshwater Institute Winnipeg 19, Manitoba A pilot plant cannery was established at Daly Bay, 500 miles north of Churchill in 1964 (Lantz 1965). The objective of the project was to assess the practicability of operating a cannery as a means of helping Eskimo fishermen and their families achieve self sufficiency. It was considered possible that a modest source of income could be derived from the export of products to southern markets but this was secondary to the !prime objective of fulfilling the requirements of the potential Eskimo needs. Seal and whale meats had been canned at various points during the short summer seasons between 1961 and 1964. From these early tests it was evident that canning meat and fish for Eskimo use during the long winter was worthwhile and the Eskimo proved to be an interested and industrious worker. Equipment used in early trials was of the portable home canning type, which had a limited capacity (Lantz 1961). Canned char from Daly Bay and char smoked at a Toronto plant was introduced to southern markets. Frozen char from the Ungava Bay area and Frobisher Bay had been made available earlier to the Montreal area. Sales potentials for a variety of products were investigated on local and export markets indicating a good possibility of supporting an economically viable industry. It now appears that demand may exceed supply because char, trout and whitefish reproduce slowly in the north and large sources of supply seem unlikely.
The Plant and Equipment Fish resources at Daly Bay were less productive than anticipated and water supply, power and housing facilities were limited. The Daly Bay cannery was therefore dismantled and moved to Rankin Inlet, 200 miles south. Thus in 1966 a permanent cannery was established at Rankin Inlet. The Eskimo staff trained at Daly Bay were transferred with their families to Rankin Inlet. Transportation, communication, housing, education and health service amenities were adequate at Rankin Inlet for development of community living. Resources appeared sufficient to permit diversification, and a year-round operation could be achieved by freezing fish supplies for off season processing. The Daly Bay cannery building was incorporated into an enlarged structure which included a 25 x 25 - foot blast freezer room with a maintained temperature of -30°F. The size of the canning area was increased to permit installation of two commercial canclosing machines for vacuum sealing round and square cans, (Figure 1) and a commercial size retort was added. All tables, sinks and small equipment installed were stainless steel. A specially built automatic cutting device (Figure 2) was designed at the Freshwater Institute based on a manually operated cutter in use at the Institute (Figure 3). The device consists of ten parallel stainless-steel circular blades each 10 inches in diameter, suitably spaced to cut nine steaks each the depth of a liz-pound can. The steak depth can be adjusted by enlarging or decreasing the space between the blades. The fish are carried to the blades in a carriage designed to allow the passage of the cutting edge of the blade and attached to a moving chain belt (Figure 4). When cut the steaJ.-s automatically drop into a container which is carried to the packing table. A room adjoining the cannery houses labelling equipment, smoke kiln, a 10 h.p. steam boiler and provides temporary storage space for canned products.
Resources Fish Char were available in June as they returned to Hudson Bay from the Diana River. Because these fish are lean and do not produce premium products, the June fishery is being discouraged. In August, the char approach the Diana River on their way to the spawning grounds and at this time are plump and in ideal condition for both smoking and canning.
A15
During November and December, under-ice fishing Kaminuriak Lake yields whitefish and some trout. The froze whitefish and trout are flown to the Rankin Inlet cannery f storage at -30°F until canned. Quality deterioration has been a problem particularly wi fish caught from June through August. Ice for chilling fish h not been available and the unchilled catch is packed in me tubs until it is flown to the cannery. Consequently, preservati of quality between catching and the arrival of the fish at cannery has depended largely upon the distance fishing are are from the cannery and the reliability of pick-up service. T . problem can now be minimized by the use of a small portahl fish plant developed at the Freshwater Institute (Scott 1969 The plant can be assembled by two men in less than 3 hours an includes a pressure water system, electric power generator, i making machine capable of producing 1000 Ibs of ice daily, an a refrigeration unit. It can be disassembled quickly and easil and flown to any fishing location. Marine Mammals Before the plant is converted from processing whitefis~ trout and char to processing whale and seal, a strictly detaile1 washdown and sanitizing procedure is carried out under th~ supervision of the Federal Department of Agriculture, Health 01 Animals Branch. Beluga whales weighing upwards to 1000 Ibs are caught !J1 vertically suspended nets near Whale Cove, south of Ranki~ Inlet. As beluga approach Whale Cove in August to feed, Eskimo~ in small boats patrol their set nets and tow entrapped beluga to a larger holding vessel. The beluga are raised onto the deck by a winch and are transported to Whale Cove for butchering. Both whale and seal are caught in nets but they may be killed hy harpoon after which both are handled in much the same manner, A Federal veterinarian must inspect all mammals prior to and during processing. The muktuk (whale skin with V4 inch of blubber) and muscle is chilled in salt water, wrapped in wax paper, packed and frozen in cartons. The muktuk and meat is held on a freezer barge until being towed to Rankin Inlet, where it is stored in the cannery cold storage room at -30°F until processing. A special pack is processed and reserved for the Eskimo and only after this market is supplied is a canned pack prepared from whale and seal for sale on markets in Canada and the U.S. The following formulas for processing char, trout and whitefish products have been developed by the Freshwater Institute but are not necessarily those used at the Rankin Inlet cannery. Canned Char and Trout Steak Style Carefully inspect dressed char and trout to ensure utilization of only top quality fish. Scale, completely remove kidney and wash cavity and outer surface of fish thoroughly with cold water to remove all traces of blood, slime, etc. Cut fish into steaks using the automatic fish cutter shown in Figure 5. Circular blades must be set to cut steaks the appropriate thicl
REOUCTION GEAR UNIT (4·1)
FISH CARRIER 10"OIA KNIFE (10 BLAOES)
PRodUCT IN, '.
•
• ?
"~-~~.;:{
TRAY PROOUCT OUT
34"
Fig. 2. Fig. 1.
Operator placing fined cans onto tne conveyor which delivers cans to automatic can sealer.
dissolves, detracting from the appearance of the finished product. Seal the cans under vacuum and sterilize as follows: 1/4 lb cans 50 minutes at 240°F; lh lb cans 90 minutes at 240°F; Cool cans to 100°F by flooding retort with cold water. Remove cans to air dry. The automatic fish cutter operator should be trained to colour grade char during cutting into red, pink and pale lots. The red char should be packed as a "Gourmet" or "Fancy" quality product. Canned Whitefish Fillet Steaks Wash skinless whitefish fillets with clean cold water to r~mov~ all traces of blood, slime, scales etc., and drain. Cut fdlets mto steaks equal to the depth of the appropriate size round can to. ~e used minus Va inch. Pack steak sections carefully into cans fIilmg any pockets with tail pieces to obtain a solid pack. Continue as for "Canned Char and Trout Steak Style". Canned Char Fillet Slices in Aspic For .this product a specific processing technique is recomIended m order to achieve a quality pack. The aspic must be ar a?d fre.e of any su.sJ(e~ded curd. The pretreatment of the ets IS deSigned to mmmuze any coagulated surface protein after sterilization of the pack. Aspi~:. To obtain a gel which would retain the desired level of ~iaStICIt.y and solidity a~ter sterilization ~nd provide a high degree I clarIty, a combmation of two algmate stabilizers were sected . Other flavour enhancers are water soluble and will not : fe?t. the clarity of ~he gel by remaining in suspension. The aspic .uffIcI~nt for approxImately ISO %-Ib cans contains the following mgredlents: water 4.5 Iitres malt vinegar 170.0 ml Gelcarin DG3 45.5 grams Gelcarin HWG3 22.5 grams salt 136.0 grams sugar 4.5 grams pepperoyal4 2.0 grams citric acid powder 1.5 grams lemon powder 3.0 grams
fili
f
Adi vinegar to the water, combine the balance of the ingredients an ~i~ well. (Due to the extremely rapid water pickup characterIstIcs of the stabilizer, this latter operation is important; J. lnst. Can. Science et Techno!. Ailment. Vo!. 5, No I, 1972
Sketch of automatic fish cutter which slices fish into sized steaks.
the o~er water soluble components act as diluents, facilitating the dlspefSlon of the stabilizer). Agitate the water/vinegar solution ~prinkl.ing the stabilizer, premixed with the balance of the dry ~ngredlents, .on the ~urface until absorbed. Any air incorporated mto the mIXture will be removed when vacuum is drawn to seal the cans. Pretreatment of char: Wash skinless char fillets with clean cold ~ater to remove all traces of blood, slime etc., and drain. Cut fIllets laterally to an even thickness of o/s inch. Cut trimmed fillets into sect.ions ~lh inches by approximately 2% inches taking the longest dImensIOn from the length of the fillet. Immerse fillet sections in the following blanching solution at 200°F for 90 seconds. water (hot) 4.5 litres white vinegar 453.0 ml salt 113.0 grams peweroyal4 2.0 grams The blanch treatment will cause contraction of the longitudinal muscle cells to yield a slice approximately 3% inches in length which is a suitable size for the \~-lb aluminum can 5. Surfa~ protein. cells which coagulate to form curd are removed by the blanchmg wash and desirable flavour characteristics are introduced into the flesh from the components in the blanching solution. The drained slices are packed into %-lb aluminum cans one 3%-oz. slice per can. Pour 30 ml of the prepared aspic over'each fillet slice to within Va to % inch of the top of the can. Seal cans under vacuum and sterilize for 50 minutes at 240°F. Cool cans to 100°F, and air dry. Canned Char Chowder Prepared char fillets plus fillet trimmings from "Canned Char Fillet Slices in Aspic" may be utilized for this product. Cut fish into lh-to %-inch cubes. Heat 4.5 litres of water to boiling and immerse 2 kilograms of char cubes to blanch for 90 seconds to coagulate surface protein, agitating gently to remove any surface coagulation. Remove cubes, chill with cold water spray and drain well. Strain and chill blanching solution and add the fonowing ingredients to prepare soup mixture: 3 Marine Colloids Inc. Springfield, New Jersey Gelcarln DG & Gelcarln HWG 4 Griffiths Laboratories, Toronto, Ontario. 5 Aluminum cans size 405 x 301 x 014 when ordering specify the latest type of enamel for fish.
A16
MOTOR
KNIFE (8 BLADES)
PRODUCT FISH
CARRIER
GUARD
HANDLE
TRAY
Fig. 3.
Sketch of the manually operated cutter at Freshwater Institute. chilled blanching solution 4.5 litres 100.0 grams special wheat flour4 starch6 78.0 grams 85.0 grams milk powder7 70.0 grams dehydrated minced onion8 salt 66.0 grams monosodium glutamate 3.0 grams sugar 2.5 grams 1.0 grams pepperoyal4 thyme .2 grams 2.0 ml imitation butter f1avour9 Heat, stirring gently, to 200°F. Fill 14 oz. tall round cans lO with pretreated char cubes 100 grams 0/8 inch dice dehydrated potato 11 12 grams 8 grams pre-rinsed, canned red pepper bits Add prepared soup mixture to within ¥8 inch of the can top, approximately 275 rn!. Cans may be closed at atmospheric pressure provided the internal temperature of the filled cans is no less than l60°F. Sterilize cans for 90 minutes at 240°F. Cool cans to 100°F by flOOding the retort with cold water. Remove cans to air dry. When this product is heated to serve, 15% cream may be incorporated. Smoked Fillet Slices from Char, Trout and Inconnu Wash skinned fish fillets with clean cold water to remove all traces of blood, slime, scales, etc., and drain. Imme~se fillets for 15 minutes in a curing solution containing 4.5 htres 80° salinity brine, 340.0 grams sugar, and 4.0 grams pepperoyaI. Spread the drained fillets on oiled stainless steel mesh trays in the smoke kiln and smoke for 35 minutes at 90°F. (r.h. 60%). Remove fillets from smoke kiln, cover to minimize surface oxidation and chill to 40°F. Slice fillets into 3% x 2o/s-inch sections, and dip in oil l2 , drain and pack into %-Ib aluminum cans l3 . One 3%-oz slice is packed in each can and covered with 14 ml of oill2. Close cans under vacuum, sterilize cans 50 minutes at 240°F, cool to 100°F, and air dry. Sweet Cured Smoked Fillets from Char, Trout and Inconnu Wash skinless fillets with clean cold water to remove all traces of blood, slime, scales etc., and drain. Immerse fillets weighing approximately 340 grams in a curing solution at 40°F for 24 hours 14 . The curing solution is prepared as follows: Add 170 grams of mixed pickling spice to 2 litres of 40 ° salinity brine,
A17
Fig. 4.
Close up of the automatic fish cutter installed at Ranki~ Inlet. Note the cut steaks on the conveyor tray. On~ conveyor tray has deposited cut steaks into the metal container.
heat to 210°F and simmer for 5 minutes. Add 2.7 kilograml sugar and stir until dissolved. This preparation is then diluted with 43.5 litres of 40° salinity brine and chilled to 40°F. Remove fillets from curing solution, soak in cold fresh water for 15 minutes and drain. The fillets are then layed on oiled stainless mesh trays and smoke treated for 7 hours at 80°F. (r.h. 60%). . Table 1. Analysis of Sweet Cured Smoked Fillets of Char, Trout and Inconnu. Each specie was treated to a 24 hour immersion period in the curing solution prior to smoke processing. Fat % Salt % Sample Moisture % Trout 63.80 5.17 7.60 Char 61.00 5.96 7.70 Inconnu 60.80 10.95 5.05 Note the correlation between fat content and salt absorption; by an extension of the curing solution immersion peri~d for Inoonnu, a salt content similar to the levels observed III the Trout and Char samples may be achieved. Remove fillets from smoke kiln and chill to 40°F. The chilled fillets may be utilized in a number of ways e.g. 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14
Corn Products Sales Co. - Food Starch Modified 4832. Modern Dairies, Winnipeg, Man. - Low Temp. Milk P~wder. Blue Ribbon, Brook Bond Ltd. - Instant Minced Omon. Polask Frutal Works Inc. - Imitation Butter .. Flavour OS54008. Can size 208 x 406. When ordering specify the latest type of enamel for fish. Rogers Bros., Idaho Falls. - Dehydrated Idaho Potato Cubes. Soya, safflower, corn or rapeseed. Aluminum can size 405 x 301 x 014 when ordering specify the latest type of enamel for fish. . A 24 hour Immersion In the curing solution Is a SUItable time for 340 gram fillet. Immersion time in the curing solutIOn must be determined by the fillet size and specie of fish being treated. Char, trout and inconnu fillets vary In size, texture and composition and these factors determine the amount of absorption. See Table 1. . Can. Inst. Food Science and Techno1. J" Vo1. 5, No.1, 197;1
Fig. 5.
Fooel Cutter - Note the horizontally revolving bowl where ingredients are deposited, cut and blended by the vertically revolving knife blades.
fillets can be packaged in oxygen and moisture I]Jroof film, sharp frozen and stored at -30°F for future use. Thin slices can be readily used in hoI's d'oeuvres, canapes etc. Cocktail Spread from Char, Trout or Inconnu Accumulated trimmings from "Smoked Fillet Slices from Char Trout and Inconnu" may be utilized for this product. in preliminary canning of coktail spreads, a major difficulty encountered was obtaining an end product that would spread readily after processing. Protein coagulation of the ground raw fillets when sterilized produced a solid pack which wmdd not spread. Also, a protein exudate formed during sterilization coagulated on the surface of the product forming a curd. To overcome this problem, fillets and fillet trimmings are precooked before comminution. Fillet trimmings and fillets 15 are spread in a single layer on flat-bottom pans with tight fitting lids. The closed !pans are placed in the retort and cooked at 225°F for 15 minutes followed by chilling to 40°F. Weigh; Chilled, pre-cooked smoked fish trimmings & fillets 1750.0 grams vegetable shortening 16 666.0 grams Olive oil 100.0 grams 17 1% solution of Xanthan gum product 140.0 grams salt 28.0 grams paprika 10.0 grams pepperoyal 4.0 grams garlic powder 1.5 gram monosodium glutamate 1.0 gram vegetable dye 18 .9 gram Cut and mix ingredients for 3 minutes in a fool cutter (Figure 5) and pack the resulting spread into If4-lb. round cans 1 to within lis inch of the can top. Close cans under vacuum and sterilize for 50 minutes at 240°F. Cool cans to 100°F by flooding retort with cold water. Remove cans to air dry. If a smoother texture is desired, the mixture may be further comminuted prior to packing by using a high speed centrifugal cutting machine (Figure 6).
J. lnst. Can. Science et Technol. Aliment. Vol. 5, No 1, 1972
Fig. 6.
High Speed cutting machine. The blades are set 01000 inches apart. The flesh passes between the blades at 9000 r.p.m. to form a smooth mixture.
Smoked Char, Trout or Inconnu Pieces in Cream Sauce Accumulated trimmings recovered during the packing phase of "Smoked Fillet Slices from Char, Tmut and Inconnu" may be utilized for this !product. Cut trimmings into approximately %" cubes. Combine:
Soupmix19 383.0 grams milkpowder7 85.0 grams onion powder 10.0 grams Mix to a paste with sufficient 4.5 litres water and continue to dilute until fluid. Agitate the remainder of the water and dust onto the surface until completely absorbed 9.0 grams Xanthan gum 17 Add the soupmix, milk, and onion powder mixture to the Xanthan gum/water solution. Add 2.0 m!. butter flavour 9 Heat the solution, stirring frequently to 210°F. To each liz-lb. round can 2 Add cubed fillet trimmings 113.0 grams pre-rinsed canned red pepper bits 5.0 grams prepared sauce solution 106.0 m!. Can may be closed at atmospheric pressure proVIded the internal temperature of the filled call is no less than 160°F. Sterilize cans for 90 min. @ 240°F. Cool cans to 100°F by flooding the retort with cold water. Remove cans to air dry. 15 Utilization of fillets too light in colour for gourmet canned prod-
ucts. 16 Preferably a corn oil shortening. 17 Kelco Company, Clark, N. J. food grade Xanthan gum. . 18 Warner Jenkinson Manufacturing Co., St. Louis, Mlssoun. Orange B#6177. 19 Knorr-Swiss cream of mushroom soupmix.
A18
The Plant and Equipment Fish resources at Daly Bay were less productive than anticipated and water supply, power and housing facilities were limited. The Daly Bay cannery was therefore dismantled and moved to Rankin Inlet, 200 miles south. Thus in 1966 a permanent cannery was established at Rankin Inlet. The Eskimo staff trained at Daly Bay were transferred with their families to Rankin Inlet. Transportation, communication, housing, education and health service amenities were adequate at Rankin Inlet for development of community living. Resources appeared sufficient to permit diversification, and a year-round operation could be achieved by freezing fish supplies for off season processing. The Daly Bay cannery building was incorporated into an enlarged structure which included a 25 x 25 - foot blast freezer room with a maintained temperature of -30°F. The size of the canning area was increased to permit installation of two commercial canclosing machines for vacuum sealing round and square cans, (Figure 1) and a commercial size retort was added. All tables, sinks and small equipment installed were stainless steel. A specially built automatic cutting device (Figure 2) was designed at the Freshwater Institute based on a manually operated cutter in use at the Institute (Figure 3). The device consists of ten parallel stainless-steel circular blades each 10 inches in diameter, suitably spaced to cut nine steaks each the depth of a liz-pound can. The steak depth can be adjusted by enlarging or decreasing the space between the blades. The fish are carried to the blades in a carriage designed to allow the passage of the cutting edge of the blade and attached to a moving chain belt (Figure 4). When cut the steaJ.-s automatically drop into a container which is carried to the packing table. A room adjoining the cannery houses labelling equipment, smoke kiln, a 10 h.p. steam boiler and provides temporary storage space for canned products.
Resources Fish Char were available in June as they returned to Hudson Bay from the Diana River. Because these fish are lean and do not produce premium products, the June fishery is being discouraged. In August, the char approach the Diana River on their way to the spawning grounds and at this time are plump and in ideal condition for both smoking and canning.
A15
During November and December, under-ice fishing Kaminuriak Lake yields whitefish and some trout. The froze whitefish and trout are flown to the Rankin Inlet cannery f storage at -30°F until canned. Quality deterioration has been a problem particularly wi fish caught from June through August. Ice for chilling fish h not been available and the unchilled catch is packed in me tubs until it is flown to the cannery. Consequently, preservati of quality between catching and the arrival of the fish at cannery has depended largely upon the distance fishing are are from the cannery and the reliability of pick-up service. T . problem can now be minimized by the use of a small portahl fish plant developed at the Freshwater Institute (Scott 1969 The plant can be assembled by two men in less than 3 hours an includes a pressure water system, electric power generator, i making machine capable of producing 1000 Ibs of ice daily, an a refrigeration unit. It can be disassembled quickly and easil and flown to any fishing location. Marine Mammals Before the plant is converted from processing whitefis~ trout and char to processing whale and seal, a strictly detaile1 washdown and sanitizing procedure is carried out under th~ supervision of the Federal Department of Agriculture, Health 01 Animals Branch. Beluga whales weighing upwards to 1000 Ibs are caught !J1 vertically suspended nets near Whale Cove, south of Ranki~ Inlet. As beluga approach Whale Cove in August to feed, Eskimo~ in small boats patrol their set nets and tow entrapped beluga to a larger holding vessel. The beluga are raised onto the deck by a winch and are transported to Whale Cove for butchering. Both whale and seal are caught in nets but they may be killed hy harpoon after which both are handled in much the same manner, A Federal veterinarian must inspect all mammals prior to and during processing. The muktuk (whale skin with V4 inch of blubber) and muscle is chilled in salt water, wrapped in wax paper, packed and frozen in cartons. The muktuk and meat is held on a freezer barge until being towed to Rankin Inlet, where it is stored in the cannery cold storage room at -30°F until processing. A special pack is processed and reserved for the Eskimo and only after this market is supplied is a canned pack prepared from whale and seal for sale on markets in Canada and the U.S. The following formulas for processing char, trout and whitefish products have been developed by the Freshwater Institute but are not necessarily those used at the Rankin Inlet cannery. Canned Char and Trout Steak Style Carefully inspect dressed char and trout to ensure utilization of only top quality fish. Scale, completely remove kidney and wash cavity and outer surface of fish thoroughly with cold water to remove all traces of blood, slime, etc. Cut fish into steaks using the automatic fish cutter shown in Figure 5. Circular blades must be set to cut steaks the appropriate thicl
REOUCTION GEAR UNIT (4·1)
FISH CARRIER 10"OIA KNIFE (10 BLAOES)
PRodUCT IN, '.
•
• ?
"~-~~.;:{
TRAY PROOUCT OUT
34"
Fig. 2. Fig. 1.
Operator placing fined cans onto tne conveyor which delivers cans to automatic can sealer.
dissolves, detracting from the appearance of the finished product. Seal the cans under vacuum and sterilize as follows: 1/4 lb cans 50 minutes at 240°F; lh lb cans 90 minutes at 240°F; Cool cans to 100°F by flooding retort with cold water. Remove cans to air dry. The automatic fish cutter operator should be trained to colour grade char during cutting into red, pink and pale lots. The red char should be packed as a "Gourmet" or "Fancy" quality product. Canned Whitefish Fillet Steaks Wash skinless whitefish fillets with clean cold water to r~mov~ all traces of blood, slime, scales etc., and drain. Cut fdlets mto steaks equal to the depth of the appropriate size round can to. ~e used minus Va inch. Pack steak sections carefully into cans fIilmg any pockets with tail pieces to obtain a solid pack. Continue as for "Canned Char and Trout Steak Style". Canned Char Fillet Slices in Aspic For .this product a specific processing technique is recomIended m order to achieve a quality pack. The aspic must be ar a?d fre.e of any su.sJ(e~ded curd. The pretreatment of the ets IS deSigned to mmmuze any coagulated surface protein after sterilization of the pack. Aspi~:. To obtain a gel which would retain the desired level of ~iaStICIt.y and solidity a~ter sterilization ~nd provide a high degree I clarIty, a combmation of two algmate stabilizers were sected . Other flavour enhancers are water soluble and will not : fe?t. the clarity of ~he gel by remaining in suspension. The aspic .uffIcI~nt for approxImately ISO %-Ib cans contains the following mgredlents: water 4.5 Iitres malt vinegar 170.0 ml Gelcarin DG3 45.5 grams Gelcarin HWG3 22.5 grams salt 136.0 grams sugar 4.5 grams pepperoyal4 2.0 grams citric acid powder 1.5 grams lemon powder 3.0 grams
fili
f
Adi vinegar to the water, combine the balance of the ingredients an ~i~ well. (Due to the extremely rapid water pickup characterIstIcs of the stabilizer, this latter operation is important; J. lnst. Can. Science et Techno!. Ailment. Vo!. 5, No I, 1972
Sketch of automatic fish cutter which slices fish into sized steaks.
the o~er water soluble components act as diluents, facilitating the dlspefSlon of the stabilizer). Agitate the water/vinegar solution ~prinkl.ing the stabilizer, premixed with the balance of the dry ~ngredlents, .on the ~urface until absorbed. Any air incorporated mto the mIXture will be removed when vacuum is drawn to seal the cans. Pretreatment of char: Wash skinless char fillets with clean cold ~ater to remove all traces of blood, slime etc., and drain. Cut fIllets laterally to an even thickness of o/s inch. Cut trimmed fillets into sect.ions ~lh inches by approximately 2% inches taking the longest dImensIOn from the length of the fillet. Immerse fillet sections in the following blanching solution at 200°F for 90 seconds. water (hot) 4.5 litres white vinegar 453.0 ml salt 113.0 grams peweroyal4 2.0 grams The blanch treatment will cause contraction of the longitudinal muscle cells to yield a slice approximately 3% inches in length which is a suitable size for the \~-lb aluminum can 5. Surfa~ protein. cells which coagulate to form curd are removed by the blanchmg wash and desirable flavour characteristics are introduced into the flesh from the components in the blanching solution. The drained slices are packed into %-lb aluminum cans one 3%-oz. slice per can. Pour 30 ml of the prepared aspic over'each fillet slice to within Va to % inch of the top of the can. Seal cans under vacuum and sterilize for 50 minutes at 240°F. Cool cans to 100°F, and air dry. Canned Char Chowder Prepared char fillets plus fillet trimmings from "Canned Char Fillet Slices in Aspic" may be utilized for this product. Cut fish into lh-to %-inch cubes. Heat 4.5 litres of water to boiling and immerse 2 kilograms of char cubes to blanch for 90 seconds to coagulate surface protein, agitating gently to remove any surface coagulation. Remove cubes, chill with cold water spray and drain well. Strain and chill blanching solution and add the fonowing ingredients to prepare soup mixture: 3 Marine Colloids Inc. Springfield, New Jersey Gelcarln DG & Gelcarln HWG 4 Griffiths Laboratories, Toronto, Ontario. 5 Aluminum cans size 405 x 301 x 014 when ordering specify the latest type of enamel for fish.
A16
MOTOR
KNIFE (8 BLADES)
PRODUCT FISH
CARRIER
GUARD
HANDLE
TRAY
Fig. 3.
Sketch of the manually operated cutter at Freshwater Institute. chilled blanching solution 4.5 litres 100.0 grams special wheat flour4 starch6 78.0 grams 85.0 grams milk powder7 70.0 grams dehydrated minced onion8 salt 66.0 grams monosodium glutamate 3.0 grams sugar 2.5 grams 1.0 grams pepperoyal4 thyme .2 grams 2.0 ml imitation butter f1avour9 Heat, stirring gently, to 200°F. Fill 14 oz. tall round cans lO with pretreated char cubes 100 grams 0/8 inch dice dehydrated potato 11 12 grams 8 grams pre-rinsed, canned red pepper bits Add prepared soup mixture to within ¥8 inch of the can top, approximately 275 rn!. Cans may be closed at atmospheric pressure provided the internal temperature of the filled cans is no less than l60°F. Sterilize cans for 90 minutes at 240°F. Cool cans to 100°F by flOOding the retort with cold water. Remove cans to air dry. When this product is heated to serve, 15% cream may be incorporated. Smoked Fillet Slices from Char, Trout and Inconnu Wash skinned fish fillets with clean cold water to remove all traces of blood, slime, scales, etc., and drain. Imme~se fillets for 15 minutes in a curing solution containing 4.5 htres 80° salinity brine, 340.0 grams sugar, and 4.0 grams pepperoyaI. Spread the drained fillets on oiled stainless steel mesh trays in the smoke kiln and smoke for 35 minutes at 90°F. (r.h. 60%). Remove fillets from smoke kiln, cover to minimize surface oxidation and chill to 40°F. Slice fillets into 3% x 2o/s-inch sections, and dip in oil l2 , drain and pack into %-Ib aluminum cans l3 . One 3%-oz slice is packed in each can and covered with 14 ml of oill2. Close cans under vacuum, sterilize cans 50 minutes at 240°F, cool to 100°F, and air dry. Sweet Cured Smoked Fillets from Char, Trout and Inconnu Wash skinless fillets with clean cold water to remove all traces of blood, slime, scales etc., and drain. Immerse fillets weighing approximately 340 grams in a curing solution at 40°F for 24 hours 14 . The curing solution is prepared as follows: Add 170 grams of mixed pickling spice to 2 litres of 40 ° salinity brine,
A17
Fig. 4.
Close up of the automatic fish cutter installed at Ranki~ Inlet. Note the cut steaks on the conveyor tray. On~ conveyor tray has deposited cut steaks into the metal container.
heat to 210°F and simmer for 5 minutes. Add 2.7 kilograml sugar and stir until dissolved. This preparation is then diluted with 43.5 litres of 40° salinity brine and chilled to 40°F. Remove fillets from curing solution, soak in cold fresh water for 15 minutes and drain. The fillets are then layed on oiled stainless mesh trays and smoke treated for 7 hours at 80°F. (r.h. 60%). . Table 1. Analysis of Sweet Cured Smoked Fillets of Char, Trout and Inconnu. Each specie was treated to a 24 hour immersion period in the curing solution prior to smoke processing. Fat % Salt % Sample Moisture % Trout 63.80 5.17 7.60 Char 61.00 5.96 7.70 Inconnu 60.80 10.95 5.05 Note the correlation between fat content and salt absorption; by an extension of the curing solution immersion peri~d for Inoonnu, a salt content similar to the levels observed III the Trout and Char samples may be achieved. Remove fillets from smoke kiln and chill to 40°F. The chilled fillets may be utilized in a number of ways e.g. 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14
Corn Products Sales Co. - Food Starch Modified 4832. Modern Dairies, Winnipeg, Man. - Low Temp. Milk P~wder. Blue Ribbon, Brook Bond Ltd. - Instant Minced Omon. Polask Frutal Works Inc. - Imitation Butter .. Flavour OS54008. Can size 208 x 406. When ordering specify the latest type of enamel for fish. Rogers Bros., Idaho Falls. - Dehydrated Idaho Potato Cubes. Soya, safflower, corn or rapeseed. Aluminum can size 405 x 301 x 014 when ordering specify the latest type of enamel for fish. . A 24 hour Immersion In the curing solution Is a SUItable time for 340 gram fillet. Immersion time in the curing solutIOn must be determined by the fillet size and specie of fish being treated. Char, trout and inconnu fillets vary In size, texture and composition and these factors determine the amount of absorption. See Table 1. . Can. Inst. Food Science and Techno1. J" Vo1. 5, No.1, 197;1
Fig. 5.
Fooel Cutter - Note the horizontally revolving bowl where ingredients are deposited, cut and blended by the vertically revolving knife blades.
fillets can be packaged in oxygen and moisture I]Jroof film, sharp frozen and stored at -30°F for future use. Thin slices can be readily used in hoI's d'oeuvres, canapes etc. Cocktail Spread from Char, Trout or Inconnu Accumulated trimmings from "Smoked Fillet Slices from Char Trout and Inconnu" may be utilized for this product. in preliminary canning of coktail spreads, a major difficulty encountered was obtaining an end product that would spread readily after processing. Protein coagulation of the ground raw fillets when sterilized produced a solid pack which wmdd not spread. Also, a protein exudate formed during sterilization coagulated on the surface of the product forming a curd. To overcome this problem, fillets and fillet trimmings are precooked before comminution. Fillet trimmings and fillets 15 are spread in a single layer on flat-bottom pans with tight fitting lids. The closed !pans are placed in the retort and cooked at 225°F for 15 minutes followed by chilling to 40°F. Weigh; Chilled, pre-cooked smoked fish trimmings & fillets 1750.0 grams vegetable shortening 16 666.0 grams Olive oil 100.0 grams 17 1% solution of Xanthan gum product 140.0 grams salt 28.0 grams paprika 10.0 grams pepperoyal 4.0 grams garlic powder 1.5 gram monosodium glutamate 1.0 gram vegetable dye 18 .9 gram Cut and mix ingredients for 3 minutes in a fool cutter (Figure 5) and pack the resulting spread into If4-lb. round cans 1 to within lis inch of the can top. Close cans under vacuum and sterilize for 50 minutes at 240°F. Cool cans to 100°F by flooding retort with cold water. Remove cans to air dry. If a smoother texture is desired, the mixture may be further comminuted prior to packing by using a high speed centrifugal cutting machine (Figure 6).
J. lnst. Can. Science et Technol. Aliment. Vol. 5, No 1, 1972
Fig. 6.
High Speed cutting machine. The blades are set 01000 inches apart. The flesh passes between the blades at 9000 r.p.m. to form a smooth mixture.
Smoked Char, Trout or Inconnu Pieces in Cream Sauce Accumulated trimmings recovered during the packing phase of "Smoked Fillet Slices from Char, Tmut and Inconnu" may be utilized for this !product. Cut trimmings into approximately %" cubes. Combine:
Soupmix19 383.0 grams milkpowder7 85.0 grams onion powder 10.0 grams Mix to a paste with sufficient 4.5 litres water and continue to dilute until fluid. Agitate the remainder of the water and dust onto the surface until completely absorbed 9.0 grams Xanthan gum 17 Add the soupmix, milk, and onion powder mixture to the Xanthan gum/water solution. Add 2.0 m!. butter flavour 9 Heat the solution, stirring frequently to 210°F. To each liz-lb. round can 2 Add cubed fillet trimmings 113.0 grams pre-rinsed canned red pepper bits 5.0 grams prepared sauce solution 106.0 m!. Can may be closed at atmospheric pressure proVIded the internal temperature of the filled call is no less than 160°F. Sterilize cans for 90 min. @ 240°F. Cool cans to 100°F by flooding the retort with cold water. Remove cans to air dry. 15 Utilization of fillets too light in colour for gourmet canned prod-
ucts. 16 Preferably a corn oil shortening. 17 Kelco Company, Clark, N. J. food grade Xanthan gum. . 18 Warner Jenkinson Manufacturing Co., St. Louis, Mlssoun. Orange B#6177. 19 Knorr-Swiss cream of mushroom soupmix.
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