Effects of steaming process on the distribution of arsenic in different tissues of the scallops (Chlamys farreri)

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to investigate the distribution of total arsenic (As) in Chlamys farreri (C. farreri) tissues and evaluate the effects of steaming practices on the As levels. The results indicated that viscera was the part with the highest As concentration (5.08 ± 0.08 mg/kg, wet weight (ww)) and the highest As content percentage (more than 33%) of raw scallops. With the increase of steaming time, although the trends of various tissues were not clear on aspect of As concentration (dry weight (dw)), compared with control groups, there were significantly declined (p < 0.05) of As content distribution in all tissues except the gill after steaming for 15 min. Moreover, a large amount of As element (more than 29%) was transferred to the juice produced by steaming. The present research provided information for a better understanding of As distribution in scallop tissues, conducted more realistic estimation of As exposure from scallops, and laid a foundation for the investigation of As migration in various tissues of scallops after heat treatment.