The effect of commercial scale processing on trace element concentrations in shrimp muscle tissue – A preliminary study from two processors in Thailand and Ecuador

Abstract

Commercial processing is potentially a confounding factor for elemental profiling in shrimp. Here, two sets of paired samples were collected pre/post-processing from the same farms; one set from Thailand (n = 15) and one from Ecuador (n = 19). The samples from Ecuador were subjected to a meta-bisulfite bath as part of the processing regimen while the samples from Thailand were subjected to a salt bath. The elemental concentrations were determined via ICM-MS. Elements reported are of Al, As, Ba, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nd, Ni, Rb, Se, Sr, Y, and Zn. Elements from samples in Ecuador were unaffected by the processing regimen (MATS = 15.47, p = 0.3), but samples from Thailand (MATS = 766.29, p = < 0.001) were. The pre/post-processing samples were classified to country of origin with a training model of samples from shrimp farms in five countries. Samples that were post-processing were less accurately classified (58 % vs. 68 % accuracy) compared to pre-processed samples. Samples from Ecuador had high fidelity regardless of processing while the samples from Thailand were less accurately classified. This study shows processing can alter the elemental profile in shrimp muscle tissue, and may impact the accuracy of classification.