This report sets out the results of a study undertaken by IFIQ to determine the feasibility of producing a shelf-stable eel/rice convenience meal for the Japanese market.

The study was divided into three parts:

• A survey of current technical and marketing information on eel and eel products;
• A preliminary production trial to evaluate the effects on pre­processing methods and retort processing on eel and rice in suitable packaging; and
• Evaluation of the concept of a heat and eat eel/rice meal by Japanese consumers in focus groups.

The information survey included on-line searches of available databases (both Technical and Marketing) and personal communications with a number of Government agencies involved either directly or indirectly with the Japanese market. The responses indicated that there was no market research information available at the time in terms of consumer preferences for a specific product such as the proposed eel/rice meal or for the ready to eat preprocessed retail market in general. There was information available about eel in terms of biology and farming but processing information was limited to Kabayaki eel exported from Taiwan to Japan and to eel products produced and consumed in Europe. The initial information relating to Japanese consumption of eel was limited and contradictory.

The production trial set out to evaluate the effect of the retort process on minimally preprocessed eel pieces, with and without an eel sauce and to evaluate the suitability of a rice variety which had been developed specifically for the Japanese market. The two ingredients were packed separately (in 250 g plastic trays with foil webbing) but processed under identical conditions. It was hoped that samples from these runs could be used in focus groups to obtain feedback from Japanese consumers residing in Brisbane.