Pasteurization conditions and evaluation of quality parameters of frozen packaged crab meat.

DIMA JIMENA ; BARON P.; ZARITZKY N. E.

JOURNAL OF AQUATIC FOOD PRODUCT TECHNOLOGY

TAYLOR AND FRANCIS

Lugar: Philadelphia; Año: 2016 vol. 25 p. 745 - 759

1049-8850

Ovalipes trimaculatus is a crab recognized as a new resource with fishing valueto obtain frozen products. Pasteurization conditions of meat crab at temperaturesbelow 85ºC (60, 72, and 82ºC) were established to achieve better qualityattributes in the frozen product. The lethality curves of Staphylococcus aureusand Listeria monocytogenes were measured, and the decimal reduction times(D) and Z values were determined. Heat transfer during the pasteurizationprocess of pouches containing crab meat was simulated using a computationalcode in finite elements, and the mathematical model was experimentallyvalidated. Thermal histories were coupled to the microbial lethality kinetics ofthe most heat resistant pathogen microorganism in order to establish pasteurizationtimes necessary for the process system design. The predicted pasteurizationconditions were microbiologically validated. The pouches were frozenunder industrial conditions and stored at −22ºC for 1 year. The influence of thetype of packaging (vacuum and nonvacuum plastic pouches) on physicochemicaland sensory quality parameters of frozen crab meat (color, exudate, lipidoxidation, water holding capacity, and overall acceptability) were analyzedobserving better performance under vacuum conditions.