Pasteurization Conditions and Evaluation of Quality Parameters of Frozen Packaged Crab Meat

Ovalipes trimaculatus is a crab recognized as a new resource with fishing value to obtain frozen products. Pasteurization conditions of meat crab at temperatures below 85oC (60, 72, and 82oC) were established to achieve better quality attributes in the frozen product. The lethality curves of Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes were measured, and the decimal reduction times (D) and Z values were determined. Heat transfer during the pasteurization process of pouches containing crab meat was simulated using a computational code in finite elements, and the mathematical model was experimentally validated. Thermal histories were coupled to the microbial lethality kinetics of the most heat resistant pathogen microorganism in order to establish pasteurization times necessary for the process system design. The predicted pasteurization conditions were microbiologically validated. The pouches were frozen under industrial conditions and stored at -22oC for 1 year. The influence of the type of packaging (vacuum and nonvacuum plastic pouches) on physicochemical and sensory quality parameters of frozen crab meat (color, exudate, lipid oxidation, water holding capacity, and overall acceptability) were analyzed observing better performance under vacuum conditions.