Emerging Technologies for Food Processing, 2nd Edition

Chapter 32

Minimal Processing of Ready Meals

Stephen James,  and Christian James     Food Refrigeration and Process Engineering Research Centre, The Grimsby Institute, HSI Building, Origin Way, Europarc, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, UK

Abstract

There is a large, and ever-growing, domestic and catering market for chilled and frozen ready meals. A chilled or frozen ready meal is a fully prepared meal that will ultimately be heated in a conventional domestic, or microwave, oven. Consumers expect a meal with an eating quality that is at least as good as if they had cooked and prepared it themselves. There is a growing demand for new “fresh-like”, “clean-labelled”, “minimally processed” products positioned on a more wholesome, fresh, and naturalness ...