QUALITY OF FROZEN COOKED SNOW CRAB (CHIONOECTES-OPILIO) MEAT - THE EFFECT OF THE PREPROCESSING CONDITION

Controlled studies were conducted to assess the effect of the pre-proc essing condition of raw crab upon the quality of cooked snow crab (Chi onoecetes opilio). The results of two different methods of assessing r aw snow crab (i.e. (i) visual assessment of the heart action of raw sn ow crab, and (ii) visual assessment of leg movement of raw snow crab i mmediately after the raw snow crab were electrically stimulated) were compared to the results of sensory assessment of crab meat from the sa me snow crab that were cooked, shucked, frozen, stored at -26-degrees- C, thawed and served. These results clearly revealed that visual asses sment of heart action was not a relevant method. In contrast, visual a ssessment of electrical stimulation was revealed to be a reliable meth od as well as being an inexpensive, non-destructive, portable and rapi d method. Since this study was conducted, the electrical stimulation m ethod has been commercialized.