Abstract: Method of determining the quality of fish prior to processing and packaging thereof which comprises measuring the quantitative distribution of trimethylamine in the fish and more particularly, the extent of migration of trimethylamine from dark to light meat in the fish.

Abstract: Red or dark meat portions of whole fish are injected into light meat fillets or loins of fish to produce a palatable, nutritious fish product. The process comprises comminuting the red meat, trim, including bellies, carcass and skin of the fish to form a minced meat mass that is colored with a heat stable dye to resemble the natural color of the fish, setting or cooking, decoloring and micro cutting the minced meat and pumping or injecting the minced meat into fillet or loin portions of fish up to about 108% to about 150% of the original weight of the loin portion. The loin portions injected with minced meat may then be cooked to form a product that has chewy texture, aroma and flavor of loins or fillet portions of fish.

Abstract: Red or dark meat portions of whole fish are restructured and preferably combined with light meat fillets or loins to produce a palatable, nutritious fish product. The process comprises comminuting the red meat, trim, including bellies, carcass and skin of the fish to form a minced meat mass that is colored with a heat stable dye to resemble the natural color of the fish and delicately extruded through an orifice at room temperature, the minced meat is then heat set or cooked and decolored and dewatered to form a restructured product which, after retort cooking, has the chewy texture, aroma and flavor and color of the more desirable loin or fillet portions of the fish. The restructured product may be combined with cooked loins or fillets to produce a product which closely resembles 100% loins or fillets.

Abstract: Red or dark meat portions of whole fish are restructured and preferably combined with light meat fillets or loins to produce a palatable, nutritious fish product. The process comprises comminuting the red meat, trim, carcass and skin of the fish to form a minced meat mass that is colored with a heat stable dye to resemble the natural color of tuna and subjected to plastic flow at temperatures of about 70.degree. C. to about 90.degree. C. and hen decolored and dewatered to form a restructured product which after retort cooking, has the chewy texture, aroma, color and flavor of the more desirable loin or fillet portions of the fish. The restructured product may be combined with cooked loins or fillets to produce a product which closely resembles 100% loins or fillets.

Abstract: A process for the air drying of a food material, such as a proteinaceous material, is disclosed wherein the drying air is heated by direct contact with a burner in such a manner that the formation of undesirable residues in the proteinaceous material as a result of combustion products from the burner is substantially reduced. The burner is operated by feeding to it a fuel mixture containing a stoichiometric quantity of air for purposes of combustion to avoid the use of drying air for combustion. The burner is also operated to provide a heat output which is sufficient for drying of the proteinaceous material but which does not exceed 800,000 BTU/hr./lineal ft. of burner. The burner is also shielded from the drying air while operated at the necessary firing rate or heat output to substantially avoid aeration of the flame by the drying air.