Sous-vide cooking as a systematic approach for quality maintenance and shelf-life extension of crab lump meat

The impact of sous-vide cooking (So-Vc) temperature and time on the quality and shelf-life of crab lump meat (CLM) was elucidated. CLM was treated with sous-vide at varying temperatures (75, 80 and 85 degrees C) and times (1 and 2 h). Regardless of the cooking regime, no microorganisms were detected in CLM after treatment with So-Vc (svt-CLM). Lipid oxidation became more pronounced in svt-CLM as time and temperature augmented (p < 0.05). No significant alterations in protein pattern were observed in svt-CLM. Lightness in CLM was increased after treatment with sous-vide, except for those treated at 85 degrees C, in which lightness was decreased. A gradual decrease in poly- and mono-unsaturated fatty acid with increasing temperature and time was observed for svt-CLM. So-Vc profoundly influenced the shelf-life of CLM, in which the shelf-life longer than 60 days at 4 degrees C was recorded. Therefore, So-Vc was demonstrated as an effective mild heat treatment for shelf-life extension of CLM, and the cooking condition of 80 degrees C for 1 h is recommended for CLM based on the less impact on color and lipid oxidation, assured microbial safety, and reduced energy consumption.

Automated summary

The study demonstrated that sous-vide cooking can extend the shelf-life of crab lump meat, with the most optimal condition being 80 degrees Celsius for 1 hour, minimizing impact on color and lipid oxidation.