A leading South African supermarket has launched two new seafood ready meals that use an innovative microwave cooking solution developed by Sirane.

 

Woolworths has released two products under its Easy to Cook brand using Sira-Cook™ Smart-Release™, a microwave bag which cooks food in minutes: salmon portions with a soy, honey & ginger glaze and calamari rings with a zesty lemon & garlic butter. 

 

“The packaging and product fits like a glove, it is perfect for absolute convenience, no fuss cooking,” says Gavin Anhaeusser, product developer with Woolworths.

 

“It is quick to cook, a flavorsome end product, with no fishy smell in the kitchen. The fact that the product is sealed in the bag means no yield loss and adds flavor to end product. The concept and convenience of Smart-Release is great, especially for single customers. It's time saving and energy saving if you are only cooking for one or two people. But more importantly, the food quality is excellent, it is quick and it is really simple.”

 

Sira-Cook Smart Release is perfect for many foods, particularly seafood – with perfect tasting fish and sauce in just a matter of minutes thanks to the dual-vent technology.

 

Coldwater Seafood were one of the first companies to take up Smart-Release – with the innovative bag allowing fish dishes to be sold by retail giant Marks & Spencer. M&S has launched three Sira-Cook Smart-Release products to date under the tag-line Quick To Cook: Lochmuir Salmon with Watercress; Cod with Parsley and Haddock Mornay.

 

With Sira-Cook™ Smart-Release™ food and sauces are kept separate in the packaging – sealed into two compartments. The central dividing seal has been designed to rupture in a controlled way, allowing the mixing of the contents of the two compartments. A second vent in the main compartment then opens, maintaining pressure in the bag.

 

Ian Beardsall, Sirane director of product and process development, says, “Sira-Cook Smart-Release is a truly great and cost-effective concept. The seals will only open at certain temperatures, so the food is cooked to absolute perfection in just a few minutes. The venting seals on Sira-Cook Smart-Release can be tuned for retailers to meet the cooking requirements of any contents, be it seafood, poultry or even desserts.”