SENSORY QUALITY OF GONADS FROM THE GREEN SEA URCHIN, STRONGYLOCENTROTUS DROEBACHIENSIS, FED DIFFERENT DIETS

Dietary protein (25%) influences on the sensory characteristics of green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) gonads were examined in two feeding experiments, both lasting for 60 days. Gonad indices and sensory quality were evaluated, and were compared with those of gonads from wild sea urchins. Gonad growth was not significantly affected by dietary protein:carbohydrate ratio. Bitter taste was significantly affected by diet in both experiments, sweet taste was significantly affected by diet in only one experiment, whereas the taste attributes old/stale, metal/sour and aftertaste were not significantly affected by diet in either experiment. There was increased intensity of bitter taste with increased dietary protein, and the diet with the lowest protein concentration produced gonads not significantly different in taste from those of wild sea urchins. All sensory attributes related to texture (granularity, firmness, and melting) were affected by diet. Gonads from urchins given the diet with the lowest protein content did not differ significantly from those of wild sea urchins, but there was no consistent relationship between dietary protein and texture attributes.