Quality parameters of processed clusters of red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) - Effects of live holding at 5 and 10°C up to 92 days without feeding

Abstract

Abstract Red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) has become a valuable resource in the Norwegian fishery. After landing, the crab is exported either as live or as processed into two cooked-frozen sections (i.e., clusters) to high-end market segments in Europe, Asia and in the USA. Live holding can be an alternative to processing right after landing, offering a new possibility to control the time before processing or live export. The live holding period can last, in absence of feeding, from some days up to as long as three months. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of time and temperature on a series of quality parameters in red king crabs kept live without feeding at 5 and 10\u202f°C up to 92 days. At day 0, 41, 62, and 92, the crabs were processed into cooked clusters followed by analyses. Meat content and cluster yield decreased significantly (p