Irradiation preservation of Pacific Coast fish and shellfish—IV. Storage life of Dungeness crab meat at 33°F (0.5°C) and 42°F (5.5°C)

Abstract

Laboratory-scale studies were made to determine for fresh Dungeness crab meat the optimum radiation conditions directed toward defining commercial process parameters. Fresh crab meat was obtained from 4 different processing plants, packed in either C-enameled cans or in polyester-polyethylene pouches, irradiated at doses ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 Mrad with a Co 60 source, and tested for storage characteristics at 33°F (0.5°C) and 42°F (5.5°C). Irradiation at 0.1- and 0.2-Mrad range produced a freshlike product with an increased storage life of 2–5 times greater than that of the unirradiated product; these low doses are therefore recommended for initial commercial application. Vacuum packing and nonvacuum packing in cans were equally effective in extending the shelf life of radiation-pasteurized crab meat. Storage life at 33°F (0.5°C) is almost double that at 42°F (5.5°C).