The edible apple snail [Pomacea dolioides (Reeve, 1856)]; meat yield and sensorial evaluation

Abstract

The present work investigated the meat yield of the gastropod Pomacea dolioides (Reeve, 1856), and sensorially evaluated its main organoleptic properties. The average meat yield of P. dolioides was 11.9 ± 3.4%, of which 10.9 ± 3.3% was for young females, 12.5 ± 2.8% for adult females, 12.1 ± 4.2% for young males, and 12.4 ± 2.2% for adult males. No significant difference was found in meat yield between sex, but a significant difference was detected in size. A significant difference was also found in the sensory analysis, as the treatment in which the gastropods were fed with grass and ration obtained the best evaluation, reaching over 70% approval for all meat attributes. Although the meat yield of P. dolioides was low, its general quality was satisfactorily accepted by the panellists. The meat of this commercially unexploited gastropod is a source of low-cost protein for people with dietary food limitations and underprivileged populations of the Amazon region, and might constitute an alternative and supplementary source of income for local animal producers.