A method for effectively reducing the flavor of aquatic product compound sauces after heat sterilization and cooking.

Abstract

This invention discloses a method for effectively reducing the cooked flavor of aquatic product compound sauces after heat sterilization, belonging to the field of food processing technology. The method includes: heating the formula with vegetable oil to a suitable temperature, adding capsanthin and one or more fat-soluble antioxidants selected from vitamin E, rosemary extract, and ascorbyl palmitate for pretreatment; adding modified porous starch-based composite material and yeast extract to reconstruct the microenvironment when the sauce cools to below a specified temperature; subsequently performing gradient vacuum degassing; and finally employing a mild, segmented heat sterilization process that uses low-temperature maintenance to activate endogenous enzymes to form a structural barrier, high-temperature instantaneous sterilization to achieve commercial sterility, and rapid cooling to terminate the thermal reaction. This invention inhibits the generation of off-flavor substances during heat sterilization at the reaction mechanism level, while promoting the production of pleasant flavors, significantly reducing the cooked flavor of the product, and improving its umami flavor and textural quality. It is applicable to the production of various aquatic product compound sauces.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of food processing technology, and specifically relates to a method for effectively reducing the flavor of aquatic product compound sauces after heat sterilization and cooking. Background Technology

[0002] Aquatic product compound sauces, such as ready-to-eat sauces or condiment sauces made primarily from fish, shrimp, shellfish, and cephalopods, supplemented with various seasonings, are popular among consumers due to their unique delicious flavor and rich nutritional value, and have a broad market prospect.

[0003] However, these products are characterized by high water activity and rich protein and fat content, classifying them as high-risk perishable foods. To kill microorganisms in the products, especially heat-resistant spore-forming bacteria such as Clostridium botulinum, and achieve commercial sterility, thereby extending the product's shelf life, high-temperature heat sterilization is necessary. Currently, the industry standard practice is high-temperature, high-pressure sterilization, typically maintained at 121°C for 20-30 minutes.

[0004] However, practice has shown that this conventional high-temperature, high-pressure sterilization method triggers violent chemical reactions. Specifically: first, it exacerbates the Maillard reaction, generating excessive amounts of pyrazines and furans; second, it promotes lipid oxidation, producing large amounts of low-molecular-weight aldehydes (such as hexanal and heptaldehyde) and ketones; and third, it induces the thermal degradation of sulfur-containing amino acids (such as cysteine ​​and methionine), producing volatile sulfides such as dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and dimethyl trisulfide. These substances work together to create the "cooked," "sulfur," or "aged" taste (commonly known as "canned food") that consumers generally find unpleasant in sauces. This off-flavor severely damages the original fresh and fragrant flavor of aquatic product compound sauces, masks the unique deliciousness of aquatic products, and becomes a technological bottleneck restricting the high-quality development of this industry.

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, various solutions have been attempted in existing technologies. For example, some technologies use the addition of synthetic flavorings or flavor modifiers for post-treatment masking, but this is a superficial solution that cannot eradicate odor substances and contradicts the current consumer trend of "cleanliness labels." Some technologies attempt to reduce sterilization intensity and instead add chemical preservatives, but this introduces food safety risks. Other technologies use microencapsulation technology to encapsulate flavorings, but the wall material is prone to rupture during high-temperature sterilization, leading to premature leakage of flavorings. In addition, some studies have used vacuum degassing technology to treat fermented aquatic products to remove fishy odors, but this technology only targets fresh or fermented raw materials and does not address the systemic suppression of cooking odors generated by intense thermal reactions in complex sauce systems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for effectively reducing the off-odor flavor of aquatic product compound sauces after heat sterilization and cooking. By combining "flavor precursor microenvironment reconstruction" with "targeted thermal intervention", the generation of off-odor substances is inhibited from the source, while protecting and even enhancing the desired flavor.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0008] A method for effectively reducing the flavor of aquatic product compound sauces after heat sterilization and cooking, characterized by comprising the following steps:

[0009] (1) Vegetable oil pretreatment: Heat the vegetable oil of the formula amount to 40~60℃, add 0.02%~0.1% capsanthin and 0.01%~0.05% fat-soluble antioxidant by weight of vegetable oil, stir evenly to fully dissolve the functional components in the oil phase, and obtain pretreated vegetable oil; the fat-soluble antioxidant is selected from one or more of vitamin E, rosemary extract, and ascorbyl palmitate;

[0010] (2) Microenvironment reconstruction: In the base of aquatic product compound sauce prepared by stir-frying or mixing, when the temperature drops below 60°C, a modified porous starch-based composite material and yeast extract are added and stirred evenly. The modified porous starch-based composite material accounts for 0.5% to 3% of the total weight of the sauce, and the yeast extract accounts for 0.1% to 0.5% of the total weight of the sauce.

[0011] (3) Gradient vacuum degassing: The sauce obtained in step (1) is fed into a vacuum degassing device, the vacuum degree is controlled at 0.06~0.08 MPa, the temperature is 45~55℃, and it is maintained for 15~25 minutes for degassing.

[0012] (4) Filling and sealing: The sauce processed in step (2) is quantitatively filled and vacuum sealed;

[0013] (5) Mild segmented heat sterilization: Place the sealed sauce from step (3) into a heat sterilization device and let it go through the following three stages in sequence:

[0014] (a) Low temperature maintenance stage: Heat the center temperature of the sauce to 75~80℃ and maintain it for 10~15 minutes;

[0015] (b) High-temperature instantaneous stage: rapidly increase the temperature to 100~108℃ at the center of the sauce and maintain it for 5~12 minutes;

[0016] (c) Rapid cooling stage: Forced cooling is performed immediately after sterilization to reduce the center temperature of the sauce to below 30°C within 5 minutes.

[0017] Furthermore, the modified porous starch-based composite material is prepared by grafting hydrophobic amino acids or their ester derivatives onto the surface and pores of porous starch via an enzymatic catalytic reaction; the hydrophobic amino acids are selected from one or more of leucine, isoleucine, and valine.

[0018] Furthermore, the preparation method of the modified porous starch-based composite material includes the following steps:

[0019] (a) Disperse porous starch in phosphate buffer solution with pH 6.5 to 7.5 to prepare a starch dispersion with a mass concentration of 5% to 15%;

[0020] (b) Add protease and hydrophobic amino acid ester to the dispersion of step (a), wherein the amount of protease added is 1% to 3% of the mass of porous starch, and the molar ratio of the amount of hydrophobic amino acid ester added to porous starch is (1 to 1.5):1.

[0021] (c) The mixture was shaken at 35-45℃ for 6-12 hours. After the reaction was completed, it was filtered, washed, dried and pulverized to obtain the modified porous starch-based composite material.

[0022] Furthermore, the hydrophobic amino acid ester is ethyl leucine ester, ethyl isoleucine ester, or a mixture of the two; the protease is papain or a neutral protease.

[0023] Furthermore, the yeast extract is a nucleic acid-type yeast extract, and its nucleic acid content is ≥15% based on the total amount of 5'-inosinate disodium (IMP) and 5'-guanylate disodium (GMP).

[0024] Furthermore, in the gradient vacuum degassing step, degassing is carried out by gradually reducing the vacuum level or maintaining a constant vacuum level in stages, so as to promote the full removal of dissolved oxygen and volatile odor precursors in the sauce.

[0025] Furthermore, the role of the low-temperature maintenance stage in step (4) is to activate the endogenous transglutaminase in the aquatic raw materials, promote the cross-linking reaction of the proteins in the sauce, and form a three-dimensional network structure. This structure improves the texture of the sauce on the one hand, and acts as a physical barrier to further inhibit the migration and reaction of flavor precursors in the subsequent high-temperature treatment process on the other hand.

[0026] Furthermore, the sterilization temperature and time of the high-temperature instantaneous stage in step (4) are adjusted according to the pH value, water activity and type of aquatic raw materials of the sauce, and the specific sterilization parameters are determined with commercial sterility as the endpoint; the rapid cooling stage adopts the cooling method of circulating cold water spray or immersion.

[0027] Furthermore, the method is used to manufacture sauces, wherein after heat sterilization, the content of volatile components related to cooking odors, including hexanal, heptanal, dimethyl disulfide, and dimethyl trisulfide, is reduced by more than 60% compared to conventional high-temperature and high-pressure sterilization methods, while the content of pyrazine compounds such as 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, which are related to pleasant flavor, is increased by more than 100%.

[0028] Furthermore, the method is applicable to the heat sterilization treatment of various compound seasoning sauces, ready-to-eat sauces, and condiment sauces prepared using aquatic products such as fish, shrimp, shellfish, and cephalopods as the main raw materials.

[0029] The specific mechanisms of action of each component and step in this invention are as follows:

[0030] 1. Multiple Functions of Modified Porous Starch-Based Composite Materials: The modified porous starch-based composite material used in this invention has three functions. Firstly, adsorption and encapsulation: Its abundant porous structure can physically adsorb free fats, small peptides, and some amino acids in sauces. During the sterilization heating process, these substances are "locked" within the pores, reducing their contact opportunities with carbonyl compounds such as reducing sugars in the continuous aqueous phase. This spatially blocks the initial collision frequency of Maillard reactions and lipid oxidation, inhibiting the excessive generation of off-odor substances at the source. Secondly, flavor-directing regulation: The hydrophobic amino acids (leucine / isoleucine) grafted onto the surface are slowly released during heat sterilization. These amino acids are precursors to the generation of pleasant flavors such as nutty and roasted aromas (e.g., pyrazines, Strecker aldehydes). They react directionally in the microenvironment of porous starch, guiding the originally disordered and off-odor-prone vigorous thermal reactions towards the generation of the desired flavor, acting as a "reaction-directing template." Thirdly, it improves texture: the grafted amino acid esters can act as emulsifiers, improving the smoothness and stability of the sauce and preventing fat from rising and water separation.

[0031] 2. Dual Functions of Yeast Extract: The nucleic acid-type yeast extract selected in this invention has dual functions. Firstly, it provides umami and richness: its rich content of free amino acids, small peptides, and flavor nucleotides (IMP, GMP) can compensate for the loss of umami during sterilization, enhancing the overall taste of the product. Secondly, it has antioxidant properties: its active peptides, such as glutathione, have excellent antioxidant properties, effectively quenching free radicals generated during sterilization due to lipid oxidation and inhibiting the chain reaction of aldehydes and ketones (off-odor substances).

[0032] 3. Gradient vacuum degassing physical deodorization function: Under mild heating and vacuum conditions, volatile odor precursors that have already formed or are very easy to form (such as free short-chain aldehydes and alcohols) are removed along with water vapor, thus achieving the purpose of "physical deodorization".

[0033] 4. Synergistic Function of Mild Segmented Heat Sterilization: The low-temperature maintenance stage utilizes the optimal reaction temperature (70-80℃) for endogenous transglutaminase that may be present in aquatic product sauces. This stage, through enzymatic cross-linking, causes the proteins in the sauce to form a denser three-dimensional network structure. This not only improves the product's texture and water-holding capacity, but this network structure also acts as a physical barrier, further restricting the migration and reaction of flavor precursors—this is the "structural barrier" function. The high-temperature instantaneous stage uses a sterilization temperature lower than the conventional (121℃) (100-108℃), combined with extended sterilization time. Utilizing the fence effect principle, while achieving commercial sterility requirements, it significantly reduces the pyrolysis of sulfur-containing amino acids and the violent carbonyl-amine reaction at extreme high temperatures, thereby inhibiting the formation of sulfides and excessive aldehydes. The rapid cooling stage quickly bypasses the high-temperature zone, promptly terminating the ongoing chemical reaction and preventing further deterioration of flavor substances.

[0034] 5. This invention pre-adds capsanthin and fat-soluble antioxidants to vegetable oils, resulting in a triple synergistic effect. Firstly, it provides photothermal stabilization: Capsanthin, as a natural carotenoid pigment, exhibits good photothermal stability and can absorb some of the excitation energy during heat sterilization, reducing the free radical chain reaction initiated by unsaturated fatty acids in the oil. Secondly, it acts as an antioxidant barrier: Fat-soluble antioxidants (such as vitamin E and rosemary extract) accumulate at the oil-water interface, effectively quenching peroxide free radicals generated by oil oxidation and blocking the formation of aldehydes and ketones at the source. Thirdly, it provides flavor masking and synergistic effects: Capsanthin itself has a mild natural aroma, forming a flavor synergistic system with modified porous starch-based composite materials and yeast extracts, further lowering the consumer's perception threshold for steamed or boiled odors. The combined effect of these three factors significantly inhibits the formation of steamed or boiled flavors caused by lipid oxidation pathways in aquatic product compound sauces.

[0035] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0036] (1) Significantly reduce cooking flavor: Through the above synergistic technology, the content of key off-flavor substances (such as hexanal, heptanal, dimethyl disulfide, and dimethyl trisulfide) in the finished sauce is reduced by more than 60%.

[0037] (2) Enhance and enrich product flavor: Not only are off-flavors removed, but more nutty and roasted aromas are generated through targeted regulation (such as increasing the content of 2,5-dimethylpyrazine by more than 100%), which greatly improves the overall flavor acceptance of the product.

[0038] (3) Improved texture: The sauce has a more stable and delicate texture, and better spreadability and taste.

[0039] (4) Clean label: mainly uses physical methods and food ingredients from natural sources (modified starch, yeast extract), which is in line with the trend of clean label and healthy consumption.

[0040] (5) Good process compatibility: It can be implemented directly on existing canned or soft canned food production lines without large-scale equipment modification.

[0041] (6) Synergistic inhibition of lipid oxidation: By pre-adding capsanthin and fat-soluble antioxidants to vegetable oils, a multi-level antioxidant system is formed with vacuum degassing and segmented sterilization, which further reduces the generation of off-flavor substances related to lipid oxidation (such as hexanal, heptanal, 2,4-decadienal, etc.), reducing it by more than 70% compared with conventional processes. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Figure 1 This is a process flow diagram of the method of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 2 This is a GC-MS comparison chart of the main off-odor volatile components (hexanal, dimethyl trisulfide) and pleasant flavor components (2,5-dimethylpyrazine) in the crayfish meat sauce prepared in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0045] Example 1: Preparation of crayfish and shrimp meat sauce

[0046] 1. Ingredient preparation: Clean the fresh crayfish, remove the shells, dice them (0.5 cm × 0.5 cm), and blanch them. Soak the side dishes (such as shiitake mushrooms) and then dice them. By weight, prepare 30 portions of diced shrimp, 20 portions of diced side dishes, 15 portions of soybean oil, 10 portions of soybean paste, 3 portions of white sugar, and 3 portions of minced ginger and garlic.

[0047] 2. Preparation of modified porous starch-based composite materials:

[0048] Weigh 100 g of commercially available porous starch (porosity ≥60%, average pore size 10 μm) and disperse it in 1 L of pH 7.0 phosphate buffer to prepare a starch dispersion with a mass concentration of approximately 9%.

[0049] Add 2 g of papain (enzyme activity 200,000 U / g) and 15 g of premixed ethyl leucine and ethyl isoleucine (molar ratio 1:1.2), the total amount of the amino acid esters added is approximately 1.2:1 molar ratio to the porous starch.

[0050] The reaction was carried out in a 40℃ constant temperature water bath shaker for 8 hours.

[0051] After the reaction was completed, the mixture was filtered, washed three times with deionized water, vacuum dried at 40°C for 12 hours, and then pulverized through a 100-mesh sieve to obtain the modified porous starch-based composite material. The amino acid grafting rate was determined to be approximately 8.5% by the Kjeldahl method.

[0052] 3. Microenvironment Reconstruction: Mix diced shrimp, diced vegetables, soybean oil (containing 0.05% capsanthin and 0.03% vitamin E), soybean paste, sugar, minced ginger and garlic, and stir-fry until evenly combined. When the sauce temperature drops to 50℃ (below 60℃), add 2% of the above-mentioned modified porous starch-based composite material by weight of the sauce, and 0.3% of the yeast extract (nucleic acid type, IMP+GMP content ≥15%) by weight of the sauce, and stir thoroughly.

[0053] 4. Gradient vacuum degassing: The sauce is fed into a vacuum degasser, the vacuum level is set to 0.07 MPa and the temperature is 50℃, and the process is carried out for 20 minutes by maintaining a constant vacuum level in stages.

[0054] 5. Filling and Sterilization: The degassed sauce is quantitatively filled into high-temperature resistant retort pouches, each with a net content of 50g, and vacuum-sealed. The pouches are then placed in an autoclave and sterilized using a segmented process.

[0055] Preheat to 78°C and maintain for 12 minutes;

[0056] Rapidly heat to 105℃ and maintain for 8 minutes;

[0057] After sterilization, immediately circulate cooling water to spray the sauce, reducing the center temperature to 28°C within 4 minutes. The resulting product is designated S1.

[0058] Example 2: Preparation of Spicy Fish Sauce

[0059] 1. Ingredient preparation: Wash and drain the fresh fish. By weight, prepare 25 parts fish, 25 parts vegetable oil, 15 parts fermented black beans, 5 parts chili powder, 5 parts crushed peanuts, 1 part salt, and 1 part spices.

[0060] 2. Microenvironment reconstruction: When stir-frying fish and spicy sauce, and the temperature drops to 55°C before serving, add 1.5% of the total weight of the sauce, a modified porous starch-based composite material (prepared in the same way as in Example 1), and 0.2% of yeast extract.

[0061] 3. Gradient vacuum degassing: Vacuum degree 0.06 MPa, temperature 55℃, process for 15 minutes by gradually decreasing the vacuum degree.

[0062] 4. Sterilization: After filling and sealing, maintain the temperature at 75℃ for 15 minutes, then raise the temperature to 102℃ and maintain it for 12 minutes, and finally cool it rapidly to below 30℃ to obtain the finished product, numbered S2.

[0063] Comparative Example 1 (Conventional Process)

[0064] The difference from Example 1 is that: no modified porous starch-based composite material and yeast extract were added; vacuum degassing was not performed; and conventional high-temperature and high-pressure sterilization (121°C, 20 min) was used. All other raw materials and the cooking process remained the same. The resulting product was designated D1.

[0065] Comparative Example 2 (single addition, no degassing)

[0066] The difference from Example 1 is that only yeast extract was added, no modified porous starch-based composite material was added, and vacuum degassing was not performed; otherwise, it was the same as Example 1. The resulting product was designated D2.

[0067] Comparative Example 3 (single addition, no segmented sterilization)

[0068] The difference from Example 1 is that a modified porous starch-based composite material and yeast extract were added, followed by vacuum degassing. However, instead of segmented sterilization, conventional high-temperature and high-pressure sterilization (121°C, 20 min) was used. The resulting product was designated D3.

[0069] Experiment Example 1: Sensory Evaluation Experiment

[0070] Ten professionally trained sensory evaluators (ten men and ten women, aged 25-45) were invited to conduct blind tests on the finished products of Example 1 (S1), Example 2 (S2), and Comparative Examples 1-3 (D1, D2, D3). A 9-point preference rating method (1 point for extreme aversion, 9 points for extreme liking) was used to rate the "intensity of steamed or boiled flavor" (higher scores indicate weaker steamed or boiled flavor and less off-flavor), "umami flavor", and "overall acceptability". The results were averaged and are shown in Table 1.

[0071] Table 1 Sensory evaluation results

[0072] Group Cooking flavor intensity Fresh and delicious Overall acceptance Example 1 (S1) 7.9 8.3 8.6 Example 2 (S2) 7.6 8.0 8.2 Comparative Example 1 (D1) 2.8 4.2 3.5 Comparative Example 2 (D2) 4.2 5.5 4.9 Comparative Example 3 (D3) 5.5 6.2 5.8

[0073] As can be seen from the results in Table 1, Examples 1 and 2, which utilize the method of the present invention, are significantly more effective in suppressing the cooked flavor and enhancing the umami flavor, with an overall acceptance rate far exceeding that of the comparative examples. Comparative Example 2, which only added yeast extract without adding the modified porous starch-based composite material, had limited effect; Comparative Example 3, which added both components but used conventional high-temperature sterilization, also showed unsatisfactory results. This indicates that each step of the present invention has a synergistic effect and is indispensable.

[0074] Experimental Example 2: Analysis of Volatile Flavor Compounds

[0075] Volatile components of the samples from Example 1 (S1), Comparative Example 1 (D1), and Comparative Example 3 (D3) were analyzed using solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS). The quantitative results are shown in Table 2 (based on the peak area of ​​the target substance in Comparative Example 1 as 100%).

[0076] Table 2 Comparison of Key Volatile Flavor Compound Contents

[0077] Compounds (flavor characteristics) Comparative Example 1 (D1) Comparative Example 3 (D3) Example 1 (S1) Rate of change (S1 vs D1) Hexanal (grassy / fishy smell) 100% 71% 28% ↓ 72% Heptanal (fishy odor) 100% 65% 23% ↓ 77% Dimethyl trisulfide (sulfur / cooking flavor) 100% 54% 19% ↓ 81% 2,5-Dimethylpyrazine (roasted / nutty aroma) 100% 158% 245% ↑ 145%

[0078] Data shows that the method of the present invention (Example 1) significantly inhibited the formation of hexanal, heptanal, and dimethyl trisulfide associated with cooking odors (reducing them by more than 70%), while promoting the formation of the pleasant flavor compound 2,5-dimethylpyrazine (increasing it by 145%). In contrast, Comparative Example 3, which only added the ingredients but used conventional sterilization, was significantly less effective, further demonstrating the necessity of a mild, segmented sterilization process.

[0079] Experiment Example 3: Microbial Challenge and Shelf Life Testing

[0080] Samples from Example 1 (S1) and Comparative Example 1 (D1) were stored in a 37°C incubator for 30 days to conduct an accelerated shelf-life test. The total bacterial count was measured at 0, 15, and 30 days, and the results are shown in Table 3.

[0081] Table 3. Results of accelerated bacterial count test (CFU / g)

[0082] Group 0 days 15 days 30 days Example 1 (S1) <10 <10 <10 Comparative Example 1 (D1) <10 <10 <10

[0083] The results showed that none of the samples exhibited bloating or mold growth during the entire accelerated testing period, and the total bacterial count met commercial sterility requirements (<10 CFU / g). This indicates that the mild, segmented sterilization process (105℃, 8 min) combined with microenvironment reconstruction of this invention can achieve commercial sterility equivalent to conventional high-temperature and high-pressure sterilization.

[0084] Experiment Example 4: Texture Analysis

[0085] The spreadability test of the sauces of Example 1 (S1) and Comparative Example 1 (D1) was performed using a texture analyzer to determine their adhesiveness and consistency. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0086] Table 4. Texture Analysis Results

[0087] Group Adhesion (g.sec) Consistency (g) Example 1 (S1) -185 325 Comparative Example 1 (D1) -320 278

[0088] Note: Adhesion is a negative value; the smaller the absolute value, the better the spreadability; the larger the consistency value, the more stable the sauce.

[0089] The results show that the absolute value of the adhesiveness of the sauce prepared by the method of the present invention is significantly smaller than that of the comparative example, while the consistency is greater than that of the comparative example, indicating that it has better spreadability and the sauce is more stable and delicate. This is attributed to the textural improvement effect of the modified porous starch-based composite material and the structural barrier effect formed by enzymatic crosslinking during the low-temperature maintenance stage.

[0090] Example 3: Spicy squid sauce synergistically treated with capsanthin and antioxidants

[0091] 1. Vegetable oil pretreatment: Weigh 20 parts of soybean oil, heat to 50℃, add 0.08% capsanthin and 0.04% vitamin E by weight of vegetable oil, stir to dissolve evenly, and set aside.

[0092] 2. Other steps: Referring to the method of Example 1, the above-mentioned pretreated vegetable oil is used instead of ordinary vegetable oil, and the microenvironment reconstruction, gradient vacuum degassing, filling and sealing, and mild segmented heat sterilization are carried out in sequence to obtain the finished product, which is numbered S3.

[0093] 3. Effect Verification: GC-MS analysis showed that the hexanal content in sample S3 was reduced by approximately 35% compared to Example 1 (S1) and by approximately 82% compared to Comparative Example 1 (D1). Sensory evaluation results showed that the "oil oxidation flavor" score of S3 was significantly better than that of S1, and the overall acceptability increased to 9.1 points (out of 9). This indicates that the pre-addition of capsanthin and fat-soluble antioxidants to vegetable oil can synergistically enhance other steps in this invention, further inhibiting the formation of cooking flavor.

[0094] The above embodiments and experimental data fully demonstrate that the present invention, through the synergistic effect of "flavor precursor microenvironment reconstruction" (modified porous starch-based composite material + yeast extract) and "targeted thermal intervention" (gradient vacuum degassing + mild segmented sterilization), can significantly reduce or even eliminate the unpleasant steaming flavor produced after heat sterilization of aquatic product compound sauces, while ensuring the commercial sterility and long shelf life of the product, and at the same time improve the umami flavor and overall quality of the product.

[0095] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for effectively reducing the flavor of aquatic product compound sauces after heat sterilization and cooking, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) Vegetable oil pretreatment: Heat the vegetable oil of the formula amount to 40~60℃, add 0.02%~0.1% capsanthin and 0.01%~0.05% fat-soluble antioxidant by weight of vegetable oil, stir evenly to fully dissolve the functional components in the oil phase, and obtain pretreated vegetable oil; the fat-soluble antioxidant is selected from one or more of vitamin E, rosemary extract, and ascorbyl palmitate; (2) Microenvironment reconstruction: In the base of aquatic product compound sauce prepared by stir-frying or mixing, when the temperature drops below 60°C, a modified porous starch-based composite material and yeast extract are added and stirred evenly. The modified porous starch-based composite material accounts for 0.5% to 3% of the total weight of the sauce, and the yeast extract accounts for 0.1% to 0.5% of the total weight of the sauce. (3) Gradient vacuum degassing: The sauce obtained in step (1) is fed into a vacuum degassing device, the vacuum degree is controlled at 0.06~0.08MPa, the temperature is 45~55℃, and it is maintained for 15~25 minutes for degassing. (4) Filling and sealing: The sauce processed in step (2) is quantitatively filled and vacuum sealed; (5) Mild segmented heat sterilization: Place the sealed sauce from step (3) into a heat sterilization device and let it go through the following three stages in sequence: (a) Low temperature maintenance stage: Heat the center temperature of the sauce to 75~80℃ and maintain it for 10~15 minutes; (b) High-temperature instantaneous stage: rapidly increase the temperature to 100~108℃ at the center of the sauce and maintain it for 5~12 minutes; (c) Rapid cooling stage: Forced cooling is performed immediately after sterilization to reduce the center temperature of the sauce to below 30°C within 5 minutes.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The modified porous starch-based composite material is prepared by grafting hydrophobic amino acids or their ester derivatives onto the surface and pores of porous starch via an enzymatic catalytic reaction; the hydrophobic amino acids are selected from one or more of leucine, isoleucine, and valine.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The preparation method of the modified porous starch-based composite material includes the following steps: (a) Disperse porous starch in phosphate buffer solution with pH 6.5 to 7.5 to prepare a starch dispersion with a mass concentration of 5% to 15%; (b) Add protease and hydrophobic amino acid ester to the dispersion of step (a), wherein the amount of protease added is 1% to 3% of the mass of porous starch, and the molar ratio of the amount of hydrophobic amino acid ester added to porous starch is (1 to 1.5):

1. (c) The mixture was shaken at 35-45℃ for 6-12 hours. After the reaction was completed, it was filtered, washed, dried and pulverized to obtain the modified porous starch-based composite material.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The hydrophobic amino acid ester is ethyl leucine ester, ethyl isoleucine ester, or a mixture of the two; the protease is papain or a neutral protease.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The yeast extract is a nucleic acid-type yeast extract, and its nucleic acid content, calculated as the total amount of disodium 5'-inosinate and disodium 5'-guanylate, is ≥15%.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the gradient vacuum degassing step, degassing is carried out by gradually reducing the vacuum level or maintaining a constant vacuum level in stages, so as to promote the full removal of dissolved oxygen and volatile odor precursors in the sauce.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The role of the low-temperature maintenance stage in step (4) is to activate the endogenous transglutaminase in the aquatic raw materials, promote the cross-linking reaction of proteins in the sauce, and form a three-dimensional network structure. This structure improves the texture of the sauce on the one hand, and acts as a physical barrier to further inhibit the migration and reaction of flavor precursors in the subsequent high-temperature treatment process on the other hand.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sterilization temperature and time of the high-temperature instantaneous stage in step (4) are adjusted according to the pH value, water activity and type of aquatic raw materials of the sauce, and the specific sterilization parameters are determined with commercial sterility as the endpoint; the rapid cooling stage adopts the cooling method of circulating cold water spray or immersion.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Used for manufacturing sauces, the sauces, after heat sterilization, have a 60% or more reduction in the content of volatile components related to cooking odors, including hexanal, heptanal, dimethyl disulfide, and dimethyl trisulfide, compared to conventional high-temperature and high-pressure sterilization methods. At the same time, the content of pyrazine compounds, such as 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, which are related to pleasant flavor, is increased by more than 100%.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The method is applicable to the heat sterilization treatment of various compound seasoning sauces, ready-to-eat sauces, and condiment sauces prepared mainly from fish, shrimp, shellfish, and cephalopod aquatic products.

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