Effect of pretreatments and retort process on characteristics and sensory quality of edible bird’s nest beverage

Abstract

Edible bird’s nest (EBN) flakes were pretreated using sodium alginate (AG) in the presence of different divalent cross-linking agents before retorting at different temperatures (118 and 121 °C). Protein was the dominant component (58.61 g 100 g−1, wet weight basis), followed by carbohydrate (24.38 g 100 g−1, wet weight basis). Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) showed the interaction between 1.0 g 100 mL−1 AG with protein as induced by cross-linking agents including 0.5 g 100 mL−1 calcium chloride, 1.0 g 100 mL−1 calcium lactate or 1.0 g 100 mL−1 magnesium chloride. Those alginate gels formed in beverage (EBNB) could withstand retorting at both temperatures. All pretreated EBN yielded EBNB with higher hedonic liking scores than control and non-retort process. Pretreatment of ENB using 1.0 g 100 mL−1 AG and 1.0 g 100 mL−1 calcium lactate before retorting at 121 °C rendered safe ready-to-drink EBNB with high hedonic liking score of all attributes.