Exploration of the Use of NIR Reflectance Spectroscopy to Distinguish and Measure Attributes of Conditioned and Cooked Shrimp (Pandalus borealis)

Abstract

Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) from a commercial freezer trawler were thawed then subjected to different treatments (conditioning) in 20 kg lots by holding them in ice, water and brine of various salt concentrations before being steam-cooked and peeled. Various parameters such as pH, peelability, yield, salt content, dry matter, and water holding capacity were measured. Near infrared (NIR) spectra were obtained, on samples of whole shrimp and of minced flesh from the various treatments. Analysis of the spectral and compositional, treatment and processing data using principal components and partial least squares indicated that NIR could be used to distinguish between frozen and thawed material, between salt content, pH in the flesh, cooking period (temperature) of either whole or minced shrimp, or both. The NIR data could not be used to determine peelability, water holding capacity, dry matter or salt content in either whole or minced shrimp.