154
separated from the shells were sun dried and packaged in vacuum packs and air
packs. Packed samples were stored at room temperature and the changes of their
lipid and fatty acids were investigated for 1 year. During the storage, while free fatty
acids (FFA) and saturated fatty acids increased greatly, phospholipids and polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased. Packaging methods had a great influence on the
oxidation of mussel and vacuum packaging showed best results (Changhu
et al. 1998).
Smoking is a process that gives taste and flavour to fish because of the penetration of the smoke obtained by the burning of the plant materials most often wood.
Fish and shellfish have been preserved for many years using smoke. It has been used
as an inexpensive alternative preservation method to prevent post-harvest losses,
especially in less developed countries. It has become a popular product preferred in
developed countries due to its different flavour and texture (Patterson 2004).
Although smoking process generally is used for fish, mussel meats are traditionally and commercially smoked in various parts of the world. Whole mussels are
usually smoked with oak wood. Smoked mussels are delicious as stews or chowders
or eaten with a splash of lemon. However, there are a limited number of studies
conducted on smoking of mussels. It is seen that there is a need to carry out studies
on proper smoking method, process parameters, appropriate wood selection, and
packaging method and storage conditions for mussel meat. In addition, changes in
product quality during storage should be examined in detail. A few studies on this
subject are summarized below (Patterson 2004).
In a study, the cooked, cleaned mussel meats were soaked in brine 50% at room
temperature for 5 min to improve taste and consistency. The brined mussel meats
were drained for 5 min. The meats were dipped in edible vegetable oil and placed
on racks in a semi-controlled mechanical smoking kiln that was electrically heated.
Smoke was produced by burning wood (beech) sawdust under forced airflow. The
mussel meats were hot smoked at 82 °C for 30 min and were cooled at room temperature. Smoked mussels were packaged in polystyrene boxes wrapped with
stretch film and stored at 4 °C. In these conditions, a shelf life of 12 days was determined for mussel meat (Turan et al. 2008).
In another study, live mussels were washed and depurated by immersion in water
chlorinated for 2 h. The mussel then was shucked. The meat was blanched in 5%
brine. After 5 min blanching in boiling brine, the meat was drained and smoked at
80–90 °C for 30 min in a conventional vertical smoke kiln. The smoke was generated by burning coconut husk and saw dust. Smoked meat was dried to 10% moisture level in a dryer. The authors stated that under these conditions the product will
have a shelf life of more than 6 months (Muraleedharan et al. 1979).
Canned smoked mussel meat is popular on the international market because of
its characteristic flavour. Shelf life of mussels can be prolonged by canning after
being smoked. There are a few scientific studies on this subject. Sengor et al. (2004)
conducted such a study. In this study, block-frozen mussel meat was used. Defrosted
mussels were dipped into brine for 1 h. After draining, mussel meats were dried at
30 °C for 15 min and smoked with oak wood sawdust smoke for 45 min in a semicontrol mechanical smoking kiln. Following the smoking process mussel meat was
3 Molluscan Shellfish
separated from the shells were sun dried and packaged in vacuum packs and air
packs. Packed samples were stored at room temperature and the changes of their
lipid and fatty acids were investigated for 1 year. During the storage, while free fatty
acids (FFA) and saturated fatty acids increased greatly, phospholipids and polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased. Packaging methods had a great influence on the
oxidation of mussel and vacuum packaging showed best results (Changhu
et al. 1998).
Smoking is a process that gives taste and flavour to fish because of the penetration of the smoke obtained by the burning of the plant materials most often wood.
Fish and shellfish have been preserved for many years using smoke. It has been used
as an inexpensive alternative preservation method to prevent post-harvest losses,
especially in less developed countries. It has become a popular product preferred in
developed countries due to its different flavour and texture (Patterson 2004).
Although smoking process generally is used for fish, mussel meats are traditionally and commercially smoked in various parts of the world. Whole mussels are
usually smoked with oak wood. Smoked mussels are delicious as stews or chowders
or eaten with a splash of lemon. However, there are a limited number of studies
conducted on smoking of mussels. It is seen that there is a need to carry out studies
on proper smoking method, process parameters, appropriate wood selection, and
packaging method and storage conditions for mussel meat. In addition, changes in
product quality during storage should be examined in detail. A few studies on this
subject are summarized below (Patterson 2004).
In a study, the cooked, cleaned mussel meats were soaked in brine 50% at room
temperature for 5 min to improve taste and consistency. The brined mussel meats
were drained for 5 min. The meats were dipped in edible vegetable oil and placed
on racks in a semi-controlled mechanical smoking kiln that was electrically heated.
Smoke was produced by burning wood (beech) sawdust under forced airflow. The
mussel meats were hot smoked at 82 °C for 30 min and were cooled at room temperature. Smoked mussels were packaged in polystyrene boxes wrapped with
stretch film and stored at 4 °C. In these conditions, a shelf life of 12 days was determined for mussel meat (Turan et al. 2008).
In another study, live mussels were washed and depurated by immersion in water
chlorinated for 2 h. The mussel then was shucked. The meat was blanched in 5%
brine. After 5 min blanching in boiling brine, the meat was drained and smoked at
80–90 °C for 30 min in a conventional vertical smoke kiln. The smoke was generated by burning coconut husk and saw dust. Smoked meat was dried to 10% moisture level in a dryer. The authors stated that under these conditions the product will
have a shelf life of more than 6 months (Muraleedharan et al. 1979).
Canned smoked mussel meat is popular on the international market because of
its characteristic flavour. Shelf life of mussels can be prolonged by canning after
being smoked. There are a few scientific studies on this subject. Sengor et al. (2004)
conducted such a study. In this study, block-frozen mussel meat was used. Defrosted
mussels were dipped into brine for 1 h. After draining, mussel meats were dried at
30 °C for 15 min and smoked with oak wood sawdust smoke for 45 min in a semicontrol mechanical smoking kiln. Following the smoking process mussel meat was
3 Molluscan Shellfish