Criteria for developing preserved green carviar seaweed product
Criteria for developing preserved green caviar seaweed product
Based on our research and the issues mentioned in the previous pages, the main problem with green caviar seaweeds is storage. Fresh Green Caviar Seaweeds cannot be kept pristine for very long, no different from fresh fruits and vegetables which have a short shelf life. This makes the buying costs for shops and restaurants to be much higher, as they need to throw away some of the fresh green caviar seaweeds which they buy due to water loss making some fresh green caviar seaweeds no longer appetizing. They may develop fishy smells, etc. meaning more waste. In some places such as hotels and restaurants, chefs that oversee ingredients used must answer to higher-ups who look after the purchasing of new ingredients, which creates extra pressure for them when using green caviar to create new dishes. With the issues described in mind, and the waste, as well as the time frame to use the fresh green caviar seaweeds, the chefs feel much more pressured, or perhaps the owners who rush the suppliers for more fresh green caviar seaweeds. We thus studied and researched ways to conquer these issues, and we have successfully created bottled green caviar seaweeds. We use both glass bottles and plastic bottles, as an indicator of the grade and quality of green caviar seaweeds for local market and exportation. In Europe, their trade policy disallows them to receive plastic containers despite their convenience and lower weight. Plastic bottles are favorable as they are cheaper to process and ship and do not break as easily as glass bottles. Our plastic bottles are food-grade and biodegradable – they do not cause any harm to the environment and consumers. Our standards follow these points:
1.The green caviar seaweeds cannot change color
If we categorize “preserved green caviar seaweeds in the bottle” as a brining product, this term may not be completely accurate to apply to our product – whenever any products are preserved by using brining technique, they tend to change color, which is not the case for our green caviar seaweeds.
2.The green caviar seaweeds cannot change taste
When products are brined, the taste tends to change their taste as well, generally becoming sour. However, our research aimed to preserve the original taste.
3.The green caviar seaweeds must return to at least 90% freshness
Consumers expect green caviar seaweeds to have a crunchy mouthfeel, a defining trait of the green caviar seaweeds. The results of our research were surprising, as it turns out that the green caviar seaweeds return to 100% freshness, almost as if they were fresh a new.
4.The green caviar seaweeds must be able to be stored in any condition
Normal green caviar seaweeds would suffer in non-optimal storage conditions, but our research allows us to store the green caviar seaweeds in refrigerators or even freezers. The water inside does not freeze. The only caveat is to avoid direct sunlight, as that may change the color of the green caviar seaweeds due to a loss of chlorophyll.
5.The green caviar seaweeds must have a shelf life of at least 12 months
From the Central Lab’s result, and found that there were no bacteria present in both containers. We are able to confidently conclude that the bottles are safe for consumption for up to 12 months after the manufacturing date, and we are able to send green caviar seaweeds to customers year-round.
6.Bottled green caviar seaweeds must not contain any chemicals
This includes preservatives, or magnesium, which can extend the chlorophyll usage in the green caviar seaweeds. Most importantly, they must be free of the Clostridium botulinum bacteria which thrives in low oxygen conditions. This bacterium can cause life-threatening infections if found, which is why we spent over a year and a half to research in order to perfect our procedures. We are now fully licensed by the FDA, and we can confidently say that we have quality preserved green caviar seaweeds that answered every issues that we used to face with Fresh Green Caviar seaweeds.
We must extend our thanks to the various institutes that helped us, including Kasetsart University, King Mongkut’s Institure of Technology LadKabang, Phetchaburi Ratchaphat University, and Burapha University. Their contributions to our research this time allowed us to create a quality product which we could confidently export, generating revenue for our country for years to come. Thailand now has quality green caviar seaweeds that are healthy for the body, and can be consumed year-round.
Our product has helped farmers to have a consistent income, because they can deliver green caviar seaweeds to Boonthida Farm, where we handle the processing and bottling of green caviar seaweeds, thus allowing for proper distribution of green caviar seaweeds while improving the standard of living for farmers in the local area.
