Influence of transportation systems on the quality of boiled snow crab Chionoecetes opilio meat after capture

Abstract

　The influence of different transportation systems—seawater circulation system (SCS) and icing storage (IC)—on the quality of boiled snow crab Chionoecetes opilio meat after capture was studied. The water-holding capacity of the crab meat transported by SCS was significantly higher than that of the crab meat transported by IC. Both the α-helix structure ratio in the protein secondary structure and pH of SCS crab meat were also higher than those of IC crab meat. Moreover, SCS crab meat contained low amounts of lactic acid and succinic acid, and showed high ATP content and ATP/total ratio compared to IC crab meat. These results suggest that SCS can transport the crabs in a good condition over a long time, as a result of the high water-holding capacity and high pH compared to crab meat transported in ice.