Abstract:
This experiment formulated canned crab meat free from EDTA and sulphur dioxide releasing compounds.From the hypothesis that copper and iron caused blueing in canned crab meat, it was emphasized that using EDTA alone at 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 % for cooking crab meat and adding in brine to 307 x 113 cans followed by sterilization at 116 ℃ / 45 mins revealed that higher EDTA caused, higher degree of whitening in the crab meat. A chelating agent was chosen from a selection of MSP. SHMP. SAPP and STPP were screened out. All phosphate compounds in sufficient concentration prevented discoloring of blueing. Although 0.15% SHMP provided fair color score, but it was more acceptable than that of other phosphate compounds. Choosing of amino acid chelating agent, alanine, aspartic, glycine, and leucine revealed that products containing 0.15% glycine of alanine were the best, but the scores were at fair level. Glycine is much cheaper than alanine although glycine may release foreign odor. Glycine was consequently selected to formulate canned crab meat. Choosing of organic acid chelating agent, citric, gluconic, tartaric and phytic acid at 0.1% for cooking and adjusting pH of brine solution to 4.0 showed that panelists preferred phytic acid to citric acid, but citric acid is more available and cheaper than phytic acid to citric acid, but citric acid is more available and cheaper than phytic acid, so citric acid was selected to adjust cooking water. By adding of 0.04% sodium metasulfite and either 0.4% SHMP and 0.15% citric acid for cooking 15 min or 0.5% glycine substituted SHMP, a formula low SO2 and EDTA free crab meat was obtained. Water portion in the cans using 0.2% SHMP or 0.3% glycine and 0.25% citric acid was used to adjust the pH and 0.4% sorbitol was used to prevent Maillard reaction in glycine containing products. The formula containing neither SO2 nor EDTA used 0.5% SHMP or 0.5% glycine for cooking 10 min H2O2 soaked crab meat with 0.15% citric acid and the same water portion added. All formulas had good color and texture, although slightly foreign odor was detected.