CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE AND QUALITY OF MICROWAVE-COOKED SHRIMP

The effect of different microwave treatments (240, 400, 560, 800 W for 140, 70, 52, 40 s; respectively) on consumer acceptance and correlati on of sensory and instrumental quality measurements of microwave-cooke d shrimp was investigated. All the microwave cooking treatments were a cceptable (like moderately to like very much) by the consumers for all the attributes evaluated (color, flavor, texture, juiciness, and over all acceptability). However, shrimp cooked at 240 W for 140 s and with a 120 s holding before serving had better overall acceptability, flav or, and juiciness than shrimp cooked at high power (800 W). Nearly 80% of the consumers were willing to buy microwave cooked shrimp. Intensi ty ratings for hardness and juiciness obtained by descriptive analyses correlated well with the instrumental measurements. Hardness correlat ed with shear force (R-2 = 0.92) measured with a Warner-Bratzler blade and juiciness with a modified filter paper press method (R-2 = 0.95).