Cryoprotectants improve physical and chemical properties of frozen blue crab meat (Callinectes sapidus)

The storage stability of cryogenically frozen crab meat treated with cryoprotectants was compared with pasteurised and water-treated frozen samples to determine changes in physical and chemical properties. Commercially processed, hand-picked blue crab meat was treated with solutions of polydextrose, sucrose + sorbitol/sodium tripolyphosphate or water, vacuum packaged, and cryogenically frozen prior to storage at -29 degrees C. All treatments were compared with an untreated reference control stored at -65 degrees C and a pasteurised sample stored at 1.1 degrees C. Samples were evaluated for physical and chemical changes at 4-week intervals over 32 weeks of storage. Cryoprotectants improved oxidative stability, drip loss, expressible moisture, texture, and colour compared to untreated reference and pasteurised samples.