This research invetigated the potential of microwave assisted pasteurization systems (MAPS) for production of molded or thick sheeted products from Pacific whiting (PW) surimi. Prior to MAPS processing, a systematic study was conducted to evaluate the effect of heating rate on textural properties of PW gels by heating surimi paste from 3 degrees C/min to 24 degrees C/min. No gel was formed at a slow heating rate (3 degrees C/min). Gels with greater strength were achieved with higher heating rates. The heating pattern for the surimi pastes in microwave heating was predicted using a gellan gel model food in which 2% salt and 40% sucrose were added to adjust the dielectric properties. Prepackaged PW surimi paste in pouches were pasteurized to a similiar leathal lethalty for non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum spores with MAPS or water bath as control. The breaking force and penetration distance of the PW surimi gels were significantly (P < 0.05) higher when processed in MAPS as compared to water bath.