Food product and a method of preparing thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sustainable method for producing a food product, more specifically a seafood product, such as a fish product. The method comprises the steps of: providing seafood material comprising inedible skeletal body parts; pre-homogenising the seafood material to provide a pre- homogenized seafood material, in which at least a portion of the structurally inedible skeletal body parts are transformed into edible skeletal tissue particles; and reducing the amount of the skeletal tissue particles in the pre-homogenized seafood material by using a meat-bone separator, thereby providing a seafood paste as the food product.

Description

[0001] FOOD PRODUCT AND A METHOD OF PREPARING THEREOF

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to a method for producing a food product. More particularly, the invention relates to a sustainable method for producing a seafood product, such as a texturized fish product. The invention also relates to a food product.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] There is an increasing demand for new solutions to tackle the global food challenge, such as for solutions that involve use of underutilized protein sources or edible side streams without compromising food security and nutritional quality, and also having minimal environmental impact.

[0006] EP3967151 discloses methods for valorisation of marine animal by-products, where separated protein-rich fractions and fractions containing skin and cartilage are subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis to produce protein hydrolysates and collagen, respectively, for medical, nutritional and cosmetic purposes. No food products for consumption as a meal are provided.

[0007] WO 2024100327 describes a process in which whole or gutted fish, including bones and other hard tissues, are colloid-milled, extruded, and colloid-milled again to form a smooth, homogenized food mass. The extrusion is performed at elevated temperatures typically between 100 °C and 400 °C. These high temperatures, combined with moisture and mechanical shear, soften the hard tissues and cause the fish proteins to denature and coagulate, resulting an ultra-fine puree for human consumption.

[0008] Nisov et al. (Comparison of Whole and Gutted Baltic Herring as a Raw Material for Restructured Fish Product Produced by High-Moisture Extrusion Cooking. In: Foods 2020-10-26, Vol. 9, No. 1541, 1-14) investigates the use of whole vs. gutted Baltic herring blended with plant protein for high-moisture extrusion cooking to produce hybrid plant-fish meat analogues with heat coagulated protein. The study focuses on sensory properties, tensile strength, colour, microbial quality, and the feasibility of using whole fish in structured extrudates.

[0009] Nawaz et al. (The effects of fish meat and fish bone addition on nutritional value, texture and microstructure of optimised fried snacks. In: Int. J. Food Sci. Tech.

[0010] 2019, Vol. 54, 1045-1053) describes the production of fried wheat-based snacks fortified with micro-sized fish bone dispersion and fish meat to increase nutritionalvalue, especially calcium content. Bone material is pre-processed through cooking, dispersing, and colloid milling before being added as a separate ingredient to a cereal-based dough. WO 2024 / 165792 discloses a texturized food product made of undervalued fish material, such as by-products or side streams from traditional fish industry. The food product is prepared by a method that turns fish material that may contain hard tissues such as scales, heads, fishbones or fins into an organoleptically acceptable consumable. However, despite that the fish material is subjected to careful homogenization prior to texturization, the food product may in some occasions, especially if the hard tissue content of the fish material is particularly high and / or if the hard tissue is particularly hard, have a somewhat gritty mouthfeel. For even better consumer acceptance, there is thus room for improved methods for the preparation of food products made from hard tissue-containing fish material.

[0011] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] In an aspect, the present invention provides a sustainable method for producing a food product by utilizing seafood raw material that contains structurally inedible skeletal body parts. The method of the invention transforms structurally inedible skeletal body parts into structurally edible form, thereby not only reducing waste but also improving nutritional composition of the resulting food product. In the method, seafood material comprising structurally inedible skeletal body parts is prehomogenized so as to transform said structurally inedible body parts into edible skeletal tissue particles, and reducing the amount of said skeletal tissue particles in the pre-homogenized seafood material by using a meat-bone separator, thereby providing a seafood paste as the food product, as set forth in independent claim 1.

[0013] In another aspect, the present invention provides a food product as set forth in independent claim 24.

[0014] In a further aspect, the present invention provides a food product that is obtainable by the method of the present invention.

[0015] Further aspects, embodiments and details are set forth in the following drawings, detailed description, examples, and dependent claims.

[0016] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description help to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:Figure 1 is a photograph showing the hard tissue fractions separated by meat-bone separator from the fresh salmon backbones conventionally as such (1), after short (appr. 30s) pre-homogenization of fresh backbones in bowl cutter (2), after longer (appr. 2 min) pre-homogenization of fresh backbones in bowl cutter (3) and after appr.4 min pre-homogenization of frozen and pre-cut salmon backbones in bowl cutter (4).

[0018] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The present invention provides an improved method for producing sustainable food products from undervalued fish and other seafood materials containing structurally inedible skeletal body parts. The improvement can be achieved by feeding pre-homogenized seafood material through a meat-bone separator prior to further processing.

[0020] All numbers expressed in percents herein are given on weight basis.

[0021] As used herein, the term "seafood" includes all freshwater and saltwater fish and shellfish species and parts thereof, unless otherwise specified. The term "shellfish" includes aquatic molluscs such as oysters, scallops, octopuses, clams, and mussels, as well as crustaceans such as prawns, shrimps, crabs, and lobsters.

[0022] As used herein, the term "skeletal body part" refers to a whole or partial anatomical element of a skeletal system of seafoods, which skeletal systems are responsible for providing structural framework and in some cases also movement to the body. Crustaceans have an exoskeleton made mostly of chitin. Most molluscs have a hard shell made of calcium carbonate, whereas some molluscs, like octopuses and squids, have reduced or internalized shells. Fish have a highly developed skeletal system with an internal backbone and a large number of intramuscular fishbones. Also fins belong to the skeletal system of fish and so do scales, which are more specifically part of the integumentary skeleton. Accordingly, the term "skeletal body part", as used herein, encompasses any exoskeletal or endoskeletal parts of seafood, including but not limited to shells, bones, fins and scales, as well as pieces of said skeletal body parts. Generally, skeletal body parts are considered inedible as such due to their hard structure, although they are edible in terms of their chemical composition. By the method of the invention, skeletal body parts which are structurally inedible are homogenized into edible, i.e., food grade, form.

[0023] As used herein, the term "skeletal tissue" refers to a dead or alive tissue forming a skeletal body part.Meat-bone separators, also known as bone separators, are machines specifically designed for mechanical separation of edible meat from bones and other skeletal body parts, while preserving inherent structural and functional properties of the resulting minced muscle tissue. Meat-bone separators are commonly used in food industry for deboning of various food materials such as pork, poultry, lamb, beef, fish and other seafood. Appropriate configurations for treating specific types of food materials and / or for removal of specific types of bones and other inedible skeletal body parts are known to those skilled in the art. Generally, meat-bone separators include a motor, a feeding hopper, a conveyor, a rotary drum with meat-picking screening holes in it, and a scraper.

[0024] For example, for conventional use in fish industry, whole fish or large pieces of fish are fed as defrosted or fresh into the feeding hopper, from which they enter the separation area with the drive of the conveyor belt. By a compression force between the conveyor belt and the rotary drum, the fish meat is forced into the drum through the screening holes and is sent out of the meat-bone separator with the rotation. Fish bones and other unwanted parts such as fins, scales and skin remain outside the drum and are expelled out of the meat-bone separator by the scraper. Conventionally, the fishes to be deboned are either whole or gutted, usually gutted and headed (i.e., head-off). Big fishes are usually headed and cut into two halves prior to deboning. Also, various side streams from the filleting of larger fish (e.g. frames and cut-offs) are typically deboned by a meat-bone separator in order to obtain fish meat mince for further processing.

[0025] Deviating from their conventional use, it has now been unexpectedly realized that meat-bone separators can be used for separating skeletal tissue from seafood material, especially fish, that has already been pre-homogenized. Subjecting the seafood material to pre-homogenization prior to meat-bone separation not only increases yield but also improves nutritional composition of the resulting food product. By adjusting the level or extent of pre-homogenization, it is possible to control and / or optimize the yield as well as the composition of the final product regarding its nutritional composition and / or organoleptic properties. Moreover, owing to the pre-homogenization, also fish heads and frozen seafood material may be subjected to the meat-bone separation, which is against conventional usage of meat-bone separation. Since the meat-bone separators are designed for removal of intact bones and other structurally inedible body parts, a skilled person would not consider beneficial to use pre-homogenization prior to meat-bone separation since it reduces the preciseness of the conventional meat-bone separation.In accordance with the above, provided herein is a method of producing a food product, the method comprising:

[0026] - providing seafood material containing structurally inedible skeletal body parts;

[0027] -pre-homogenising the seafood material to provide a pre-homogenized seafood material, in which at least a portion of the structurally inedible skeletal body parts is transformed into edible skeletal tissue particles; and

[0028] - reducing the amount of skeletal tissue particles in the pre-homogenized seafood material by using a meat-bone separator, thereby providing a seafood paste as the food product.

[0029] In an embodiment, the seafood material comprises or consists of one or more crustacean species. In a further embodiment, prawns and shrimps are preferred crustacean species. In another embodiment, the seafood material comprises or consists of one or more aquatic mollusc species. In a further embodiment, the seafood material comprises or consists of one or more fish species. In a still further embodiment, the seafood material is any mixture of fish, aquatic molluscs and / or crustaceans. In some instances, any of the above-mentioned embodiments may further contain seaweed.

[0030] The fish material for use in the present method is not particularly limited. In an embodiment, small pelagic fish, such as sill, mackerel, sardine, blue whitening, or Baltic herring, or any other species of small fish, such as vendance, perch, ruffe, sprat or roach, may be used. In another embodiment, commercially important larger fish species, such as salmonoids (e.g., Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, or whitefish), codfish, pollock, tuna, or pangasius, may be used. In further embodiments, two or more fish species may be used in any combination.

[0031] Regardless of the fish species to be used, the fish material may have been pre-processed in various ways. In an embodiment, the fish material is whole fish. In another embodiment, the fish material is gutted fish comprising at least one of fish bones, skin, fins, heads and scales. In an embodiment, the fish material is a by-product or a side stream from traditional fish processing, such as gutting or filleting. Differently pre-processed fish materials may also be used in any combination.

[0032] In an embodiment, the seafood material to be used in the present method is frozen. Notably, it is not possible to subject frozen fish to conventional bone-meat separation. This shortcoming is overcome by pre-homogenization since it was surprisingly found in the present invention that it is feasible to process pre-homog-enized seafood, such as fish, with a bone-meat separator even if frozen. This fastensthe process as no defrosting will be required for the separation step. Furthermore, keeping the temperature of the seafood material as low as possible during the whole method of the invention improves microbiological quality of the resulting seafood paste. Moreover, avoiding heat induced changes on the seafood proteins by keeping the processing temperature as low as possible the resulting seafood paste is essentially maintained as raw thereby enabling further processing of the paste into various finished food products such as seafood balls, patties, nuggets, sticks, or cakes.

[0033] In accordance with the above, the temperature of the seafood material is kept in the range of about -25°C to about 35°C during the pre-homogenization. In an embodiment, the temperature of the seafood material is kept at about -20°C to about 30°C. In a further embodiment, the temperature of the seafood material is kept at about -18°C to about 25°C. Those skilled in the art know how to adjust the pre-homogenization conditions such that the temperature ranges given for the seafood material are not exceeded.

[0034] In a yet further embodiment, especially if frozen seafood material is used, the temperature of the seafood material is kept at about -25°C to about 5°C during the pre-homogenization. In a still further embodiment concerning especially frozen seafood material, the temperature of the seafood material is kept at about -20°C to about 0°C. In a still further embodiment concerning especially frozen seafood material, the temperature of the seafood material is kept at about -18°C to about -2°C.

[0035] In an even further embodiment, especially if defrosted seafood material is used, the temperature of the seafood material is kept at about -5°C to about 20°C during the pre-homogenization. In a still further embodiment concerning especially defrosted seafood material, the temperature of the seafood material is kept at about 0°C to about 30°C. In a still further embodiment concerning especially defrosted seafood material, the temperature of the seafood material is kept at about 3°C to about 25°C. The latter two temperature ranges are particularly suitable also for fresh seafood material.

[0036] The pre-homogenisation step may be carried out in different ways using means and methods available in the art. For example, a cutter, such as a bowl cutter, may be employed for the pre-homogenization with or without pre-cutting before feeding the seafood material into the bowl cutter. Pre-cutting is especially beneficial in case the seafood material is frozen, and is typically made for example by a frozen meat pre-cutter, flaker or a chopper. Alternatively or additionally, a meat grinder, preferably a frozen meat grinder, may be used for the pre-homogenization.During the pre-homogenization step, structurally inedible skeletal body parts of the seafood material are transformed into skeletal tissue particles of edible size. Although it may be possible to prepare organoleptically acceptable food products from seafood material containing such skeletal tissue particles, reducing the amount and / or size of the particles is beneficial to obtain food products with even better organoleptic properties and, hence, improved consumer acceptance. However, it is generally not possible to achieve such a reduction by adjusting the homogenization conditions only while keeping the temperature of the seafood material below 35°C, especially if the proportion of skeletal body parts in the seafood material to be used is high and / or the skeletal body parts contain intact bones from larger fish species and / or large pieces of molluscan shells.

[0037] In an embodiment, any skeletal body parts present in the pre-homogenized seafood material are reduced to a particle size that renders them mechanically acceptable for consumption. Specifically, the pre-homogenized seafood material comprises mainly finely comminuted skeletal particles having a maximum dimension of less than 1.5 mm, preferably less than 1.3 mm, and more preferably within the range of 0.05 - 0.5 mm. Bone particles within this size range are sufficiently small to be considered edible and non-hazardous (i.e. mechanically acceptable), as they do not impart perceptible hardness, sharpness, or a choking risk during normal consumption. In addition, the pre-homogenized seafood material may comprise also a portion of comminuted skeletal particles having a maximum dimension of less than 3.0 mm, preferably less than 2.5 mm, and more preferably less than 1,5 mm. Bone particles within this size range are also sufficiently small to be considered edible and non-hazardous, as they do not impart perceptible hardness, sharpness, or a choking risk during normal consumption, but they typically have negative effect on the organoleptic properties and acceptability as food product.

[0038] As already explained, it has now been unexpectedly realised that the amount and size of skeletal tissue particles remaining in resulting seafood food product can be reduced and / or optimized by pre-homogenizing the seafood material before a separation step with a meat-bone separator. Said reduction in the meat-bone separation results from skeletal tissue particles being removed from the prehomogenized material, thereby providing a seafood paste with less skeletal tissue particles. Generally, the material removed from the pre-homogenized material has a particle size larger than in the skeletal tissue fraction remaining in the resulting seafood paste. In other words, the term "removal" in this context does not exclude that some but generally smaller skeletal tissue particles remain in the resulting seafood paste,thereby contributing to the yield and nutritional composition of the paste. Thus, by using the method disclosed herein, it is possible to obtain a food product with significantly reduced grittiness even if the proportion of structurally inedible skeletal body parts in the initial seafood material or the proportion of skeletal tissue particles in the pre-homogenized seafood material would be high.

[0039] The pre-homogenization can be adjusted to control how much of the coarser skeletal tissue particles are included relative to the finer skeletal tissue particles. In other words, it is possible to adjust which proportion of the structurally inedible skeletal body parts in the seafood material are transformed into edible skeletal tissue particles in the pre-homogenized seafood material, as well as the level of reduction of the skeletal tissue particles in the subsequent meat separation phase.

[0040] The size of the screening holes in the drum of the meat-bone separator determines the maximum particle size present in the resulting seafood paste. For example, if the screening holes have a diameter of 1.3 mm, then the particles in the seafood paste cannot exceed 1.3 mm in their largest dimension. It follows that the seafood paste can only contain skeletal body parts whose largest dimension is equal to or smaller than the diameter of the screening holes.

[0041] In one embodiment, the drum comprises screening holes having a diameter of at most 1.5 mm, at most 1.4 mm, at most 1.3 mm, at most 1.2 mm, at most 1.1 mm, at most 1.0 mm, at most 0.9 mm, or at most 0.8 mm. As used herein, the expression 'at most' indicates that the screening hole diameter does not exceed the stated value.

[0042] In an embodiment, the meat-bone separation reduces the amount of skeletal tissue particles of the pre-homogenized seafood material such that the fresh weight of the resulting seafood paste is about 5% to about 35% lower than the fresh weight of the pre-homogenized seafood material. In an embodiment, the reduction is from about 8% to about 30%. In a further embodiment, the reduction is from about 10% to about 25%. Generally, the skeletal tissue particles removed are larger in size than the particles remaining in the resulting seafood paste. This improves organoleptic properties of the food product without losing all nutrients of the skeletal tissue into waste. Notably, by conventional meat-bone separation without any pre-homogeniza-tion, the amount of waste is much higher, typically about 40% of the fresh weight or more.

[0043] To express the above embodiments differently, the present method results in a yield typically ranging from about 65% to about 95% calculated from the fresh weight of initial seafood material. In an embodiment, the yield is from about 70% to about 92% by fresh weight. In another embodiment, the yield is from about 75% toabout 90% by fresh weight. In comparison, the conventional meat-bone separation without any pre-homogenization results in a yield of about 60% by fresh weight.

[0044] Although skeletal tissue particles are partially removed from the prehomogenized seafood material by meat-bone separation, the resulting seafood paste obtained still contains from about 20% to about 50% of the ash content of the corresponding seafood material before the meat-bone separation. In an embodiment, the seafood paste contains from about 22% to about 45% of the ash content of the corresponding non-separated seafood material, i.e., the seafood material before the meat-bone separation. In a further embodiment, the seafood paste contains from about 25% to about 40% of the ash content of the corresponding non-separated seafood material. Notably, by conventional meat-bone separation without any pre-homogenization, the ash content of the seafood paste obtained is typically below 20% of the ash content of the initial seafood material fed to the meat-bone separation.

[0045] Furthermore, despite partial removal of skeletal tissue particles from the pre-homogenized seafood material by meat-bone separation, the resulting seafood paste still contains calcium from about 3% to about 50% of the calcium content of the corresponding seafood material before the meat-bone separation. In an embodiment, the seafood paste contains calcium from about 5% to about 45% of the calcium content of the corresponding non-separated seafood material. In a further embodiment, the seafood paste contains calcium from about 10% to about 40% of the calcium content of the corresponding non-separated seafood material. Notably, by conventional meatbone separation without any pre-homogenization, the calcium content of the seafood paste obtained is typically below 2% of the calcium content of the initial seafood material fed to the meat-bone separation.

[0046] Moreover, despite partial removal of skeletal tissue particles from the prehomogenized seafood material by meat-bone separation, the resulting seafood paste still contains collagen from about 10% to about 60% of the collagen content of the seafood material before the meat-bone separation. In a further embodiment, the seafood paste contains collagen from about 15% to about 50% of the collagen content of the corresponding non-separated seafood material. Notably, by conventional meatbone separation without any pre-homogenization, the collagen content of the seafood paste obtained is typically below 5% of the collagen content of the initial seafood material fed to the meat-bone separation.

[0047] Thus, the present method results in improved organoleptic properties, especially in terms of grittiness, as compared to a method that is corresponding in other respects but does not involve use of a bone-meat separator (i.e., a methodincluding mixing and / or homogenization only). Moreover, the organoleptic properties obtainable by the present method are comparable to the products made conventionally without the pre-homogenization step prior meat-bone separation (i.e., a method including meat-bone separation only).

[0048] In addition, the present method substantially improves yield as compared to the conventional method of meat-bone separation, i.e., separation made without additional pre-homogenization step. Increased yield achieved by the present method is contributed by the feature that also, e.g., skin, cartilage and skeletal tissues in structurally edible form are partly included in the seafood paste obtained.

[0049] Moreover, nutritional composition of the seafood paste, i.e., the resultant food product, is improved as compared to products made by conventional meat-bone separation without the additional pre-homogenization step, since the content of minerals (such as calcium and phosphorus) and collagen are substantially increased in the obtained seafood paste, i.e., the resultant food product produced by the method of the invention.

[0050] In an embodiment, the seafood paste produced or obtainable by the present method has a collagen content ranging from about 0.4% to about 2.5% by fresh weight of the seafood paste without added collagen. In another embodiment, said collagen content varies from about 0.5% to about 2.0% by fresh weight of the seafood paste. In a further embodiment, said collagen content varies from about 0.7% to about 1.5% by fresh weight of the seafood paste. The collagen contents given above apply especially to a fish paste. The natural collagen from fish and other seafood is nutritionally easily digestible and high-quality protein with essential amino acids beneficial for muscle maintenance, which is known to also improve joint, bone, skin and gut health and to enhance hair and nail strength.

[0051] In an embodiment, the seafood paste thus contains no added collagen. In other words, all collagen present in the seafood paste is naturally derived exclusively from the seafood raw material that contains structurally inedible skeletal body parts. It should be noted that, under food legislation in many jurisdictions (including EU legislation), any added ingredients, such as collagen or calcium, must be declared in the product's list of ingredients.

[0052] In an embodiment, the seafood paste may have an ash content ranging from about 0.9% to about 3.0% by fresh weight of the seafood paste. In another embodiment, the ash content may vary from about 0.9% to about 2.0% by fresh weight of the seafood paste. In a further embodiment, the ash content may vary from about 1.0% to about 2.5% by fresh weight of the seafood paste. In a still further embodiment,the ash content may vary from about 1.2% to about 2.0% by fresh weight of the seafood paste. The ash content of the seafood paste is a good indicator on the amount of skeletal tissue included in the product and due to this it also correlates well with the content of nutritionally beneficial minerals such as e.g. calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc, which are known to have several health benefits. In an embodiment, the separation step is carried out under conditions in which he temperature of the pre-homogenized seafood material can be kept in the range of about -5°C to about 35°C during the separation. In another embodiment, the temperature of the pre-homogenized seafood material is kept at about -3°C to about 30°C. In a further embodiment, the temperature of the pre-homogenized seafood material is kept at about 0°C to about 25°C. In a yet further embodiment, the temperature of the pre-homogenized seafood material is kept at about 2°C to about 15°C. In a still further embodiment, the temperature of the pre-homogenized seafood material is kept at about 3°C to about 10°C. In a still further embodiment, the temperature of the pre-homogenized seafood material is kept at about 5°C to about 13°C. Those skilled in the art know how to adjust the separation conditions such that the temperatures mentioned above are not exceeded.

[0053] The above-described method does not involve enzymatic hydrolysis of the fish material or of any intermediate produced during the process. Consequently, the method does not generate hydrolyzed protein fractions, peptides, or collagen hydrolysates characteristic of dietary supplements such as fish protein hydrolysate products or collagen-based formulations. The resulting product, after heating or any subsequent processing, is therefore a food product rather than a supplement. The above-described method for producing the seafood paste does not include thermal softening of the skeletal body parts nor any heat treatment prior to optional further processing steps discussed below. It follows that proteins in the seafood paste remain non-coagulated and non-denatured, a feature that is critical for technological compatibility with many further processing options, such as texturization and production of finished food products.

[0054] Optionally, the seafood paste obtained by the above-described method of the invention may be subjected to mixing, such as high-shear mixing, prior to further processing and / or packing. Although the purpose of carrying out said mixing is not particularly limited, high-shear mixing is typically carried out for further homogenisation and / or emulsification of the seafood paste and can also lead to further reduction of particle sizes of skeletal tissue in the seafood paste. Suitable equipment for carryingout the high-shear mixing and / or emulsifying are available in the art and known to skilled persons.

[0055] Any desired food-grade ingredients may be added into the seafood paste before, during or after the mixing step, if included. Such ingredients include, without limitation, one or more flavouring agents such as spices (e.g., salt, pepper) or herbs, one or more colouring agents (e.g., beet-root powder or juice, or betanin), one or more stabilizers, one or more preservatives, one or more enzymes such as cross-linking enzymes (e.g. transglutaminase), one or more emulsifiers, and / or one or more other food additives known in the art. Moreover, further food ingredients such as one or more different plant materials including starch, cereal meals, fibers, root vegetable meals, legumes, and algae may be used for adjusting the texture, taste and / or nutritional content of the seafood paste. In an embodiment, the cereal meal is oat meal, preferably gluten-free oat meal. Especially if the seafood paste is to be processed further into nuggets, patties, balls, sticks, cakes, or the like, the paste may be mixed with further food ingredients such as flours, starch and / or eggs to provide a dough for said food products. In some embodiments, the food grade ingredients that may be added into the seafood paste before, during or after the mixing step do not include added calcium or collagen as separate ingredients.

[0056] In an embodiment, one or more of additional ingredients mentioned above are added before, during or after the pre-homogenization, regardless of whether or not additional ingredients are added also during the mixing step, if included. Same or different ingredients may also be added in more than one of the above-mentioned occasions. Again, calcium and collagen may be excluded from the additional ingredients.

[0057] For storage and / or delivery, the seafood paste obtained by the present method may be packed into an airtight enclosure preferably prepared from plastic, bioplastic, glass or metal. Non-limiting examples of airtight enclosures include hot-sealed plastic or bioplastic bags, glass jars and tin cans. In some embodiments, plastic vacuum packs are preferred. For extending shelf life, the packed seafood paste may be frozen.

[0058] As already indicated, the seafood paste obtained by the above-described method may optionally be subjected to further processing, with or without interim packing, including processing into various food products such as nuggets, patties, balls, sticks or cakes by using conventional food processing techniques.

[0059] Accordingly, provided is a method of producing a food product, the method comprising:- providing seafood material containing structurally inedible skeletal body parts;

[0060] - pre-homogenising the seafood material to provide a pre-homogenized seafood material, in which at least a portion of the structurally inedible skeletal body parts are transformed into edible skeletal tissue particles;

[0061] - reducing the amount of skeletal tissue particles in the pre-homogenized seafood material by using a meat-bone separator, thereby providing a seafood paste;

[0062] - subjecting the seafood paste to further processing to obtain a moulded or shaped food product, such as a nugget, a patty, a ball, a stick, or a cake.

[0063] More specifically, the step of subjecting the seafood paste to further processing to obtain a moulded or shaped food product may include

[0064] - mixing the seafood paste with additional food ingredients to provide a dough;

[0065] - forming a moulded or shaped food product from the dough; and - cooking the moulded or shaped food product e.g. by baking in an oven or by frying.

[0066] According to some optional embodiments, a fish paste prepared from fish material containing structurally inedible skeletal body parts such as bones, fins, scales and / or heads by the present method may be subjected to texturization to achieve a texturized fish product whose texture resembles that of a cooked fish fillet. In other words, the resulting food product exhibits longitudinal parallel fish meat strips creating a texture, mouthfeel and / or appearance resembling a cooked fish fillet.

[0067] Accordingly, also provided is a method of producing a texturized fish product, the method comprising:

[0068] - providing fish material containing structurally inedible skeletal body parts comprising at least one of fish bones, skin, fins, head and scales;

[0069] - pre-homogenising the fish material to provide a pre-homogenized seafood material, in which at least a portion of the structurally inedible skeletal body parts are transformed into edible skeletal tissue particles;

[0070] - reducing the amount of skeletal tissue particles from the prehomogenized fish material by using a meat-bone separator, thereby providing a fish paste; and

[0071] - subjecting the fish paste to a texturization step at most 100°C, thereby providing a texturized fish product.

[0072] As used herein, the term "texturization" refers to a restructuring process in which fish protein is rearranged and coagulated into cooked fish meat-like texture orcooked fish fillet-like texture. In particular, texturizing provides arrangement of fish meat in longitudinal parallel strips, which creates an appearance and mouthfeel similar to cooked fish fillet. In other words, the method provides a texture of parallel longitudinal alignment of heat-coagulated fish meat strips or layers resembling the structure of cooked fish fillet.

[0073] Prior to texturization, the fish paste may be subjected to mixing and / or emulsifying, such as high-shear mixing, with or without addition of one or more foodgrade ingredients before, during or after the mixing step, in accordance with what is disclosed above in the context of the present method of producing a food product from seafood material. In fact, as said method of producing a food product from seafood material differs from the method of producing a texturized fish product only with respect to the texturizing step, anything disclosed for the former method applies to the latter, unless otherwise indicated.

[0074] Keeping the temperature of the fish material as low as possible, and definitely below about 35°C priorto the texturization, is particularly important because no successful texturization can be achieved unless the material subjected to the texturization is still raw, or at least substantially raw. It follows that all the processing steps preceding the texturization step must be carried out at a temperature and other conditions that does not cause heat induced changes on fish proteins. Accordingly, only material whose temperature has not exceeded 35°C should be used for the texturization step.

[0075] The texturizing step comprises heating a fish paste, which is in constant flow, between two heated surfaces. The distance between the heated surfaces may vary depending on the apparatus construction, desired process or product characteristics. The distance may be varied between about 0.3 cm to about 6 cm. In an embodiment, the flow may be generated by the movement of one or more of the heated surfaces. In another embodiment, the flow may be generated by the movement of the fish paste. In still another embodiment, the movement of the flow may be generated by both movements of the one or more of the heated surfaces and the fish paste. The speed of the flow of the fish paste and the speed of the movement of the heated surfaces may vary depending on the fish paste recipe (i.e., the content of the fish paste with or without any ingredients added after the meat-bone separation as explained above) and the desired outcome of the final product. During the heating, the fish paste is cooked in constant flow while alignment and coagulation of the proteins takes place. Simultaneously, the texture of the fish paste is transformed to a form displaying longitudinal parallel fish meat strips and cooked fish fillet-like appearance.In an embodiment, texturization is carried out by technique in which the fish paste obtained by the preceding method steps is heated between two surfaces, at least one of which is configured to move along the plane of its longitudinal axis. The movement of at least one of the surfaces is preferably a rotary movement around an axis of the plate that is opposite to the longitudinal axis. If said opposite axis is in the midpoint of the plate, the rotary movement is circular, whereas if it is not in the midpoint the rotary movement is elliptical. In an embodiment, further movement may be generated by feeding the fish paste between the plates in a constant flow. The speed of the flow of the fish paste and / or the speed of the movement of the heated surface(s) may vary depending on the fish paste recipe and the desired outcome of the texturization. Owing to the concomitant heating and rotary movement, the fish paste becomes cooked while alignment and coagulation of the fish proteins takes place. Consequently, the texture of the fish paste is transformed to a form displaying longitudinal parallel fish meat strips and cooked fish fillet-like appearance.

[0076] The size and shape of the surfaces, as well as the distance between them, may vary depending on the apparatus construction, desired process and / or desired product characteristics of the end product. For example, the distance between the surfaces is typically adjusted from about 0.3 cm to about 6 cm.

[0077] Notably, the texturization for use in the present invention does not involve use of a heat extruder, such as a single screw extruder or a twin screw extruder, i.e., a machine generally used for texturization of plant proteins either by a low moisture or a hight moisture extrusion process. The texturization technique for use in the present invention may thus be denoted as a non-extrusion texturization.

[0078] In an embodiment, the texturizing step is carried out at a gradually increasing temperature not exceeding 100°C. The texturizing step thus differs from cooking extrusion generally used for texturization of plant proteins not only in terms of the machinery to be used but also in terms of the processing temperature. Typically, cooking extrusion is carried out at a temperature between about 130°C and about 170°C. A reason for not using a temperature higher than 100°C during the texturization is, without limitation, that fish material burns easily, thereby deteriorating its taste. Moreover, fish material becomes too soft and sticky at high temperatures, thereby adversely affecting its processability.

[0079] In an embodiment, thegradually increasingtemperature begins from about 0°C and raises to about 95°C during the texturization step. These temperatures refer to the temperatures of the fish paste such that the about 0°C represents the temperature of the fish paste in the beginning of the texturization step, whereas the about 95°Crepresents the temperature of the resulting texturized fish product. In another embodiment, the corresponding temperature values are about 0°C and about 90°C. In a further embodiment, the corresponding temperature values are about 3°C and about 85°C. In a yet further embodiment, the corresponding temperature values are about 5°C to about 80°C.

[0080] In an embodiment, the temperature of the fish paste subjected to the texturizing step is in the range of about 0°C to about 35°C. In another embodiment, the temperature is about 0°C to about 30°C. In yet another embodiment, the temperature is about 0°C to about 25°C. In a further embodiment, the temperature of the fish paste is about 2°C to about 15°C. In a still further embodiment, the temperature of the fish paste is about 3°C to about 10°C. In a still further embodiment, the temperature of the fish paste is about 5°C to about 13°C.

[0081] In an embodiment, the temperature of the texturized fish product discharged from the texturizing step is about 70°C to about 95°C. In another embodiment, said temperature is about 70°C to about 90°C. In yet another embodiment, said temperature is about 75°C to about 85°C.

[0082] In an embodiment, the texturizing step is performed at an atmospheric pressure, constituting a further difference to cooking extrusion generally used for texturization of plant proteins.

[0083] Duration of the texturization step varies typically from about 30 sec to about 120 sec, more specifically from about 45 sec to about 55 sec. However, the residence time may vary depending on the type of apparatus used for texturization. The residence time may vary, e.g., depending on whether the texturization is performed on a laboratory scale apparatus or on an industrial scale apparatus.

[0084] In an embodiment, the texturized fish product obtainable by the present method has a collagen content ranging from about 0.4% to about 2.0% by fresh weight of the texturized seafood product without added collagen. In another embodiment, said collagen content may vary from about 0.5% to about 1.85% by fresh weight of the texturized fish product. In a further embodiment, said collagen content may vary from about 0.7% to about 1.50% by fresh weight of the texturized fish product. In other words, all collagen in the texturized fish product originates from the fish raw material.

[0085] In an embodiment, the texturized fish product obtainable by the present method may include one or more edible ingredients in addition to fish, including but not limited to one or more flavouring agents such as spices (e.g., salt, pepper) or herbs, and / or one or more colouring agents (e.g., beet-root powder or juice, or betanin), one or more stabilizers, one or more preservatives, one or more emulsifiers, one or moreenzymes such as cross-linking enzymes (e.g. transglutaminase), and / or one or more other food additives known in the art. Moreover, further food ingredients such as one or more different plant materials including e.g. starch, cereal meals, fibers, root vegetable meals, legumes, and algae may be used for adjusting the texture, taste and / or nutritional content of the texturized fish product. In an embodiment, the cereal meal is oat meal, preferably gluten-free oat meal.

[0086] In an embodiment, the texturized fish product contains at most 50% of edible plant material based on the weight of the texturized fish product. In another embodiment, the amount of the edible plant material is from about 10% to about 45%. In a further embodiment, the amount of the edible plant material is from about 15% to about 35%. In a still further embodiment, the amount is from about 2% to about 45%. In a still further embodiment, the amount is from about 15% to about 25%. In a still further embodiment, the amount is from about 5% to about 35%. In a still further embodiment, the amount is from about 7% to about 30%.

[0087] As used herein, the singular expressions "a", "an" and "the" mean one or more. Thus, a singular noun, unless otherwise specified, carries also the meaning of the corresponding plural noun.

[0088] The terms "comprising", "including" and "having" are used herein interchangeably, and are intended to be construed in a non-exclusive manner, i.e. allowing for features not explicitly described also to be present.

[0089] As used herein, the term "about" refers to a range of values ± 10% of a specified value. For example, the phrase "about 80%" includes ± 10% of 80%, i.e. from 72%% to 88%.

[0090] All ranges disclosed herein, including but not limited to ranges of weight percentages and temperatures, are understood to encompass any and all subranges subsumed therein, and every number between the endpoints. For example, a stated range of "1 to 10" should be considered to include any and all subranges beginning with a minimum value of 1 or more and ending with a maximum value of 10 or less, including all integers, whole or fractions, contained within the range. It is therefore to be understood that any overlapping ranges disclosed with respect to a certain feature may be used in combination to form a further range relating to that feature.

[0091] It is further to be noted that certain features of the disclosure which are described in the context of separate embodiments, can also be provided in any combination just as if each and every combination was individually and explicitly disclosed. Moreover, features described in the context of the present method apply to the present food product as appropriate, and vice versa.It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that with the advancement of technology, the basic idea of the invention may be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not limited to the examples described below, instead they may vary within the scope of the claims.

[0092] EXAMPLES

[0093] Ash content of the fish products was measured according to NMKL (Nordic-Baltic Committee on Food Analysis) 23:1991.

[0094] Hydroxyproline content of the fish products was measured according to standard ISO 13903:2005.

[0095] Calcium content of the fish products was measured according to standard EN ISO 17294-2-E29.

[0096] EXAMPLE 1

[0097] Food products of the invention were produced by using differently pre-processed fish raw materials. The fish raw material used was Atlantic Salmon backbones containing residual meat after automated filleting. Backbones with initial +5°C temperature were used as whole (fish raw material 1) and as pre-homogenized into a rough mass (fish raw material 2) and into a finer mass (fish raw material 3). Precut frozen backbones with -10°C temperature were used as pre-homogenized into a mass (fish raw material 4). The pre-cutting of frozen backbones was done with guillotine-type frozen meat pre-cutter. The pre-homogenization for fish raw materials 2, 3 and 4 was performed in a bowl cutter by mixing the raw material with 2000rpm knife-speed 30s, 2 min and 4 min, respectively.

[0098] All four fish raw materials pre-treated as described above (appr. 100kg per sample) were fed into a meat-bone separator having a drum hole diameter of 1.3 mm to obtain separated conventional fish meat fraction (FMF) and fish pastes of the invention (FP 2-4), respectively, and skeletal tissue rich fractions as side streams (Fig 1). Before the meat-bone separation of fish raw material 4, part of the prehomogenized and non-separated fish mass (sample " FM") was collected for further tests and compositional analysis. The temperatures (°C) and the separation yields (%) of FMF and FP samples were measured after separation. The ash, calcium and hydroxyproline (HP) content of all samples were analysed in laboratory. The content of collagen was calculated based on the content of hydroxyproline (Collagen = 8 x HP). The results are presented in Table 1.Table 1. Separation temperatures, separation yields and ash, hydroxyproline and collagen contents of the conventional fish meat fraction (FMF) and fish pastes of the invention (FP 2-4) obtained with different pre-treatments prior separation and the non-separated fish mass (FM).

[0099] FMF FP2 FP3 FP4 FM Measurements in meat-bone separation:

[0100] Temperature (°C) 5.5 7.7 10.6 -1.3 -1.5 Separation yield (%) 61.1 72.7 78.6 82.3 100 Chemical analysis:

[0101] Ash (g / 100g) 0.8 0.8 1.2 1.7 4.6 Hydroxyproline (g / 100g) n.d. n.d. 0.063 0.185 0.429 Collagen (g / 100g, calculated as

[0102] hydroxyproline x 8) n.d. n.d. 0.5 1.5 3.4

[0103] Calcium (mg / kg) 160 320 1200 3200 9400

[0104] (n.d., not detectable)

[0105] Utilization of pre-homogenization prior meat-bone separation increased the separation yield of fish paste. With conventional meat-bone separation done for the fresh and whole salmon backbones (+5°C), the yield of the conventional fish meat fraction was 61.1 %. Pre-homogenizing the fresh backbones into a finer mass increased the yield of the fish paste to 78.6 % (FP 3). Pre-cutting and pre-homogenizing the backbones as frozen and separating the fish mass below 0°C (FP 4) further increased the yield of fish paste to 82.3 %. The non-separated fish mass (FM) had a yield of 100% because no skeletal tissue was removed from it by meat-bone separation. Figure 1 illustrates the skeletal tissue fractions 1-4 removed from the differently pre-treated fish materials 1-4, respectively, by meat-bone separation.

[0106] The non-separated fish mass (FM) contained highest levels of ash, calcium and collagen, as expected. The fish meat fraction from the conventional meat-bone separation (FMF) had the lowest ash and calcium contents and did not contain detectable levels of collagen. The more intensive pre-homogenization prior separation process (FP 3) resulted in increased levels of ash, calcium and collagen. Pre-cutting and pre-homogenizing the backbones as frozen and separating the fish paste below 0°C (FP 4) further increased the ash, calcium and collagen contents substantially. The ash content of seafood sample is a good indicatoron the amount of skeletal tissue included in the product and due to this it also correlates well with the content of nutritionally beneficial minerals such as e.g. calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc, which are known to have several health benefits. In addition, the natural collagen from fish andother seafood is nutritionally easily digestible and high-quality protein with essential amino acids beneficial for muscle maintenance and is known to also improve joint, bone, skin and gut health and to enhance hair and nail strength.

[0107] EXAMPLE 2

[0108] The conventional fish meat fraction (FMF) and fish pastes FP 2 and FP 4 obtained by meat-bone separation as well as non-separated fish mass FM from Example 1 were used for making fish patties A, B, C and D, respectively. The recipe for the fish pattie dough was the same with all four samples and is presented in Table 2.

[0109] Table 2. Recipe of the doughs for fish patties. %

[0110] Fish raw material (FP or FM) 92

[0111] Starch 3

[0112] Cereal flour 1.5

[0113] Salt 1

[0114] Fibre 0.8

[0115] Food additives (acidity regulators, colorants) &

[0116] seasonings 1.7

[0117] A 100 g of dough was formed into appr. 2 cm thick round patties and fried on a frying pan with a table spoon of rapeseed oil. Frying was done with medium heat approximately 5 min on each side until the inner temperature of the patties reached over 90^C. The patties were cooled down in a room temperature for 30 min, and stored in a freezer at -18^C. The patties were defrosted after three days and the organoleptic properties of the samples were evaluated by a four-member sensory panel. The panelists evaluated four attributes with a 7-point assessment scale. The attributes evaluated were pleasantness of taste, pleasantness of structure and mouthfeel, overall pleasantness of the sample and lightness of the colour of the sample. The results as average scores are presented in Table 3.Table 3. Sensory evaluation results (average score with n=4 of the tour patties

[0118] with 7-point assessment scale.

[0119] Sample patties

[0120] A 8 C D Pleasantness of taste (1-7) 5.25 5.50 5,50 4.25 Pleasantness of mouthfeel (1-7) 3.75 4.75 5.75 4.25 Lightness of the colour (1-7) 4.50 4.50 6.25 5.25

[0121]

[0122] Overall pleasantness {1-7) 5.00 5.25 5.75 4.50

[0123] The sample D made from non-separated fish mass had an average overall pleasantness score of 4.5, which can be considered acceptable on a 7-point assessment scale, but was however lower compared to the samples made from fish samples obtained from meat-bone separation. Sample A made from the fish meat fraction obtained by conventional meat-bone separation from whole fresh salmon backbones had an average overall pleasantness score of 5.0. Surprisingly it was evaluated to have a lowest score on the pleasantness of mouthfeel. Pre-homogenizing the fish mass prior to meat-bone separation resulted in enhanced overall pleasantness as well as improved pleasantness of taste and mouthfeel (B and C). Sample C made from frozen pre-cut salmon backbones with pre-homogenization prior to meat-bone separation showed the best average scores in pleasantness of mouthfeel and overall pleasantness. It was also evaluated most light in colour, which is typically considered beneficial in fish food category.

[0124] EXAMPLE 3

[0125] The fish paste obtained from frozen pre-cut salmon backbones by pre-homogenization and meat-bone separation (FP 4) and the corresponding nonseparated fish mass (FM) from Example 1 were used for making a texturized fish products TFP 1 and TFP 2, respectively, according to recipe used for the fish patties in Example 2 (Table 2.).

[0126] All ingredients were mixed and homogenized in a bowl cutter to a homogenous fish feedstock having an internal temperature of +13°C. The fish feedstock was pumped via a feeding pipe into a texturizing apparatus, in which the fish feedstock was fed through an opening in the center of the texturizing apparatus between two heated stationary discs. The fish feedstock was transported between the discs by means of rotating paddles radially outwards to the periphery of the apparatus and finally discharged. The texturized fish product had an internal temperature of 85-90°C. The texturized fish product samples were pre-cooled and frozen to -18°C. Afterseven days in a freezer, the texturized fish product samples TFP 1 and TFP 2 were defrosted and the organoleptic properties of the samples were evaluated by a 4-member sensory panel with similar evaluation criteria than was used for the fish patties in Example 2. The results as average scores are presented in Table 4.

[0127] Table 4. Sensory evaluation results (average with n=4) of the two texturized fish product (TFP) samples with 7-point assessment scale.

[0128] TFP 1 TFP 2 Pleasantess of taste (1-7) 6.25 4.50 Pleasantenss of mouthfeel (1-7) 5.50 3.75 Lightness of the colour (1-7) 6.75 4.50 Overall pleasantness (1-7) 6.00 4.00

[0129] The results showed that pre-homogenization combined with meat-bone separation enhanced the organoleptic properties of the texturized fish products. The texturized fish product sample TPF 1, which was made from the fish paste obtained from frozen pre-cut salmon backbones by pre-homogenization and meat-bone separation, was evaluated better in all four attributes than the corresponding sample made from non-separated fish mass (TPF 2), which was however evaluated acceptable also (i.e. average score 4.0 for overall pleasantness on a 7-point assessment).

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method of producing a food product, the method comprising:-providing a seafood material comprising structurally inedible skeletal body parts;-pre-homogenising the seafood material to provide a pre-homogenized seafood material, in which at least a portion of the structurally inedible skeletal body parts are transformed into edible skeletal tissue particles; and- reducing the amount of skeletal tissue particles in the pre-homogenized seafood material by using a meat-bone separator, thereby providing a seafood paste as the food product.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the seafood material is or comprises fish material, shellfish material, crustacean material or any mixtures thereof, preferably fish material.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the seafood material comprises whole fish, gutted fish, pieces of fish, cut-offs and / or by-products from a fish filleting process or any combination thereof.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the seafood material is or comprises gadid and / or salmonoid fish material, preferably salmonoid fish material.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the seafood material is frozen having a temperature below 0°C.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the temperature of the seafood material is kept at about -25°C to about 5°C during the pre-homogenization step, preferably at about -20°C to about 0°C, more preferably about -18°C to about -2°C.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the structurally inedible skeletal body parts comprise at least one of fishbones, fins, heads, exoskeletal shells and internalized shells.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pre-homogenization step is carried out in a cutter or in a meat grinder.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the temperature of the pre-homogenized seafood material is kept in the range of about -5°C to about 35°C during use of the meat-bone separator, preferably at about -3°C to about 30°C, more preferably at about 0°C to about 25°C, even more preferably at about 2°Cto about 15°C, still more preferably at about 3°C to about 10°C, still more preferably at about 5°C to about 13°C.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the yield of the seafood paste is about 65 wt.% to about 95 wt.%, preferably about 70 wt.% to about 92 wt.%, more preferably about 75 wt. to about 90 wt.%, from the prehomogenized seafood material.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the seafood paste contains ash from about 20 wt.% to about 50 wt.%, preferably about 22 wt.% to about 45 wt.%, more preferably about 25 wt.% to about 40 wt.%, of the ash content of the pre-homogenized seafood material.

12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the seafood paste contains from about 0.9 wt.% to about 3.0 wt.%, preferably about 1.0 wt.% to about 2.5 wt.%, more preferably about 1.2 wt.% to about 2.0 wt.%, of ash.

13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the seafood paste contains calcium from about 3 wt.% to about 50 wt.%, preferably about 5 wt.% to about 45 wt.%, more preferably about 10 wt.% to about 40 wt.%, of the calcium content of the pre-homogenized seafood material.

14. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the seafood paste contains collagen from about 10 wt.% to about 60 wt.%, preferably about 15 wt.% to about 50 wt.%, of the collagen content of the pre-homogenized seafood material.

15. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the seafood paste contains collagen from about 0.4 wt.% to about 2.5 wt.%, preferably about 0.5 wt.% to about 2.0 wt.%, more preferably about 0.7 wt.% to about 1.5 wt.%.

16. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method does not comprise enzymatic hydrolysis of the fish material, the prehomogenized fish material or the seafood paste.

17. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the proteins in the fish material, pre-homogenized fish material or the seafood paste are not coagulated or denatured.

18. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method is carried out at a temperature below about 35°C.

19. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising:-subjecting the seafood paste to mixing, preferably to high-shear mixing and / or emulsifying.

20. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising:-adding one or more ingredients selected from the group consisting of flavouring agents, colouring agents, stabilizers, preservatives, emulsifiers, and plant materials before, during and / or after the pre-homogenising, or after the meat-bone separation.

21. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising:-subjecting the seafood paste to further processing to obtain a moulded or shaped food product, such as a nugget, a patty, a ball, a stick, or a cake.

22. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the seafood material is fish material and the method further comprises:-subjecting the fish paste to a texturization step at most 100°C, thereby providing a texturized fish product as the food product.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the temperature of the fish material is below 35°C prior to texturization.

24. A food product containing edible skeletal tissue particles from seafood material and having a collagen content ranging from about 0.4 wt.% to about 2.5 wt.%, preferably about 0.5 wt.% to about 2.0 wt.%, more preferably from about 0.7 wt.% to about 1.5 wt.% by weight of the food product, without an added collagen ingredient, and / or having about 0.9 wt.% to about 3.0 wt.%, preferably about 1.0 wt.% to about 2.5 wt.%, more preferably about 1.2 wt.% to about 2.0 wt.%, of ash.

25. The food product according to claim 24, wherein the seafood material is a mechanically separated seafood material.

26. The food product according to claim 24 or 25, wherein the seafood material comprises or is whole fish, gutted fish, pieces of fish, cut-offs and / or byproducts from a fish filleting pro-cess or any combination thereof, preferably said fish is or comprises salmonoid fish.

27. The food product according to any one of claims 24-26, wherein the food product is not or does not comprise any enzymatically hydrolyzed collagen or enzymatically hydrolyzed proteins.

28. The food product according to any one of claims 24-27, wherein the food product is essentially raw and does not contain heat coagulated proteins.

29. The food product according to any one of claims 24-27, wherein the food product is in the form of a texturized food product, a nugget, a patty, a ball, a stick, or a cake.

30. The food product of any one of claims 24-28 obtainable by the method according to any one of claims 1-20.

31. The food product of claim 29 obtainable by the method according to any one of claims 1-16 or 18-23.

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