Why do ready-to-eat meals need high-temperature retort?
From MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) to canned chicken and tuna, to camping food, instant noodles, soups, rice and various sauces, these products all have one obvious thing in common: they are processed through high temperature Foods that have been heat treated and preserved in canned or bagged form. Under suitable environmental conditions, the shelf life of these products can usually last from one year to 26 months, far exceeding the shelf life of traditional packaged foods. This high-temperature retort process plays a vital role in the manufacturing of food such as ready-to-eat meals. It ensures the safety of the food and greatly extends the shelf life of the food.
Retort is a process of subjecting products (and their packaging) to high-temperature heat treatment to eliminate bacteria and microorganisms in them. It is designed to ensure the safety and high quality of the product and effectively extend its shelf life. The core of this process is the high-temperature heating of food after packaging, which usually involves packaging the food into bags (or other forms) and sealing them, and then heating them to about 121°C to achieve retort.
The following are the core points related to high-temperature retort of ready-to-eat meals:
1. Principle of high-temperature retort: The high-temperature retort method achieves the purpose of eliminating microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses by exposing food to a certain time and a certain level of temperature, using a temperature higher than the tolerance temperature of the microorganisms. This is an effective retort method that can significantly reduce the number of microorganisms in food.
2. Retort temperature and time: The temperature and time of high-temperature retort vary depending on the type of food and retort requirements. Usually, the retort temperature will be above 100°C, and the retort time will also vary according to the thickness of the food and the type of microorganisms. Generally speaking, the higher the retort temperature, the shorter the time required.
3. Retort equipment: In order to perform high-temperature retort treatment, special retort equipment is required, such as a high-temperature retort pot. These devices are usually resistant to high temperatures and pressures, and can ensure that food is heated evenly during the retort process.
4. Retort effect evaluation: After completing the high-temperature retort treatment, the retort effect of the food needs to be evaluated. This is usually accomplished by testing the number of microorganisms in food to ensure it meets safety standards.
It is worth noting that high-temperature retort may have a certain impact on the nutritional value and taste of food. Therefore, during the retort process, we need to carefully select the most appropriate retort process to minimize the potential impact of high temperature on food. In short, high-temperature retort of ready-to-eat meals is a necessary step to ensure food safety and extend the shelf life. Through sophisticated retort processes and equipment selection, we are able to ensure food safety and quality.
