Effect of Steam Cooking on Textural Properties and Taste Compounds of Shrimp (Metapenaeus ensis)

Abstract

This study was performed to clarify the relationship between internal temperature and quality of steamed shrimps. Shrimps were steamed to different internal endpoint temperature (75°C, 80°C, 85°C, 90°C, 95°C) and evaluated in terms of cooking loss, color, texture and taste active compounds. Results showed that the texture and taste active compounds of steamed shrimps were largely affected by steaming cooking. Cooking loss increased with increasing of internal temperature. Steaming caused lighter muscle and yellow shell of shrimp compared with raw shrimps, and no significant differences in color were observed amongst shrimps with different internal temperature. The hardness and shear force of cooked shrimps increased with increasing temperature in initial stage, followed by a sight reduction when the internal temperature exceeding 85°C. The amount of umami amino acids, sweet amino acids and total free amino acids decreasing with increasing temperature. In addition, it was smaller in the amount of total nucleotides in meat of cooked shrimps than that of raw shrimps, but the amounts of both AMP (5′-adenosine monophosphate) and IMP (inosine monophosphate) in meat of cooked shrimps were almost same, irrespective of internal temperature.