15F-4 |
Development and evaluation of pastas containing mechanically separated crab mince |
D. I. SKONBERG1, B. Gillman, T. A. Nicholas, M. E. Camire, and D. Donahue. (1) Food Science & Human Nutrition, University of Maine, 5736 Holmes Hall, Orono, ME 04469 Mechanical separation of crab processing by-product results in additional minced meat, which can be utilized to produce value-added products. A fresh pasta containing crab mince could provide a gourmet flair and utilize a resource that is typically discarded. The objectives of this study were to determine if fresh fettucine containing different concentrations of crab mince and natural additives could be successfully extruded, and to evaluate the refrigerated shelf-life and consumer acceptability of the pasta products. Steamed, picked Jonah crabs (Cancer borealis) were passed through a mechanical deboner to produce crab mince. Fresh rosemary (5%), diacetyl (0.08%), and lactic acid (2%) were added to the crab mince, mixed with durum semolina and water, and extruded through a pasta maker. Triplicate batches of seven pasta treatments containing 0, 10%, or 20% crab mince were placed in plastic containers and stored at 4°C for 4 weeks. The fettucine was evaluated for sensory acceptability by a 53-member panel using a hedonic scale, and was subjected to weekly chemical, physical and microbial analyses during the 4 week study. Fettucine containing 10% and 20% crab mince was successfully extruded. As percent crab increased, pH, TVBN, and microbial counts increased. During weeks 1-3 of refrigerated storage, total plate counts remained at 102- 103, however, counts increased significantly (P < 0.05) at week 4 due to temperature abuse. As storage time increased, there was a slight degradation in the pasta's physical properties as measured by cooking loss and firmness. There was no significant effect of additives on the shelf life of the fettucine. Sensory analyses indicated no significant differences among treatments for flavor, texture, aroma, or overall acceptability. Fresh fettucine noodles containing up to 20% crab mince retained high quality up to 3 weeks of storage, and were "slightly to moderately" liked by consumers. Further research on flavor development and reduction of grittiness is needed to move this prototype product forward.
Session 15F, Product Development
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