Elaboração de nuggets a partir da carne mecanicamente separada do peixe panga, Pangasius hypophthalmus (SAUVAGE, 1878)

Abstract

Brazil has about 8,500 km of marine coast for aquaculture and fishing production and stands out as one of the most water available in the world. The panga is an exotic fish with increasing production in Brazil and that has characteristics that please the consumer, such as: firm texture, white color, mild flavor and without bones and competitive price. Its main product is skinless fillet, however the use of mechanically separated meat (CMS) retained in the carcass can increase the use of raw material and consequently optimize costs, increase revenue and competitiveness of industrial processing of this fish in Brazil against the imported product. The objective of this study was to define the technical and economic requirements for the industrial production of nuggets from the mechanically separated meat of panga fish (Pangasius hypophthalmus) with regard to the flowcharts and description of the processes for the extraction of mechanically separated meat (CMS) and production of panga nuggets; elaboration of the layout; determine mass and energy balances and estimate the main costs of industrial production of panga nuggets. To this end, a literature review was carried out comprising regulations, articles and technical documents related to the subject, balances were carried out according to standard methods and budgeted in the local market the values of the inputs used in the manufacture of nuggets to calculate their production cost. The proposed industrial unit has the capacity to process 3,000 kg of panga, in the form of fillets and 500 kg of nuggets per day, in a total constructed area of 503.8 m². According to the results of the mass balance, the panga nuggets recorded a yield of 142% in relation to their raw material, fresh fish. According to the energy balance, the Tic, or initial freezing temperature (K) was equal to 272.5 K ≅-1ºC. The total value of the investment in equipment for the production of panga nuggets was R$153,639.93. Considering the costs involved in processing the panga nuggets, a value equal to R$ 21.22/kg of nuggets was obtained. Compared to the prices practiced in the market, it was observed that the establishment of a value corresponding to 1/3 of the average value per kilogram observed in the retail network of Natal metropolitan area, or R$ 27.26, would provide a profit margin equal to 28.5 %. Complementary studies should be carried out to determine the additional costs for the industrial production of panga nuggets.