Quality and microbial community of high pressure shucked crab ( Eriocheir sinensis ) meat stored at 4°C

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of storage time on the sensory and biochemical properties as well as the bacterial community composition of the vacuum-packaged crab meat shucked by high pressure processing (300 MPa/20 min/25°C) stored at 4°C for 8 days. The aerobic plate count (APC), total volatile base nitrogen (TVBN), and histamine content of crab meat reached 5.71 log CFU/g, 24.50, and 0.99 mg/100 g, respectively, on the 8th day, which was below the reference limit. However, the storage limit was recommended to be 6 days by the sensory evaluation. Among quality indicators, the electronic conductivity presented good correlations with APC, TVBN, histamine content, pH, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) value, and sensory evaluation. High-throughput sequencing showed that the community composition at day 8 was obviously varied from that of the others, and Clostridium was found to be the dominant bacteria at the end of the storage. Industrial relevance It has been confirmed that HPP shucking has great potential in the segmentation process of crustaceans. HPP shucking can maintain the fresh state of the crab meat and save energy in comparison to the conventional treatment, which could meet the consumers' demand for fresh and minimally processed seafood products. In this work, the shelf life of HPP-shucked crab meat stored at 4°C was evaluated to be 6 days and Clostridium was dominant in the spoiled meat. These results can provide basic knowledge for the storage and distribution of HPP-shucked crab meat. Novelty impact statement The storage quality of HPP-shucked crab meat was studied, and shelf life of the HPP-shucked crab meat stored at 4°C was 6 days. The microbial composition at day 8 differed from that of previous time points, and Clostridium was the predominant genera. The electronic conductivity had a good correlation with other indicators.