49B-30 |
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M. A. HATTAWAY, Department of Food Science and Technology, Mississippi State University, Box 9805, Mississippi State, MS 39762, P. C. Coggins, Dept. of Food Science & Technology, Mississippi State Univ., 207 Herzer Bldg., Campus Mailstop 9805, Mississippi State, MS 39762-9805, and L. S. Andrews, Coastal Research & Extension Center, Mississippi State Univ., Experimental Seafood Processing Lab., 2710 Beach Blvd., Ste. 1-E, Biloxi, MS 39531-4401. Oysters are a delicacy and are held as a highly lucrative commodity to the oyster industry. Consumers demand a high quality product without exception. Currently, there is only a subjective guide for determining the difference between a good or a great oyster, with no method for judging the sensory definition of type of oyster, or regional harvest. The objective was to develop a descriptive language utilizing Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA®) (Stone, et al., 1974) Methodology for appearance, flavor, texture, and aroma attributes of oysters obtained from the gulf waters of the United States. A panel of eight subjects was trained for 6 months (3 times weekly for a total of 90 hr) on the attributes of gulf oysters. The QDA® method was chosen because it allows for product and ingredient references to stimulate the generation of terminology and by the panelist who understood the underlying technical principles of each modality described. The gulf oysters were evaluated during the months from September to March. The panel was replicated three times. The panel determined six quantitative appearance attribute categories, four aroma, eleven flavor, basic taste(s) to include sweet, sour, bitter, salty, were also evaluated, and seven texture attributes. The descriptive language was then compiled into a comprehensive list that segregated any overlapping terms. Significant differences (P > 0.05) were noted with aroma, flavor, and the basic taste(s) categories. A descriptive language will assist in distinguishing quality levels for the gulf oysters. The obtained information can be related to consumer acceptance and instrumental measures by statistical means. This developed descriptive language will allow for the enhanced defining of quality attributes regarding oysters. It will also provide the oyster industry with a better means of quantifying oyster attributes.
Session 49B, Aquatic Food Products: General
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