Effect of Background Color on Shrimp Pigmentation

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of tank background color on color and total carotenoid content of Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp. Five hundred shrimp were grown in two white tanks. Thirty shrimp from each white tank were randomly taken and placed in two black tanks. Ten shrimp of each tank were collected after 30 days of commercial pellet feed. Color analyses showed that color of raw shrimp grown in black tanks was significantly darker ( Lambda =26.02), green ( alpha -2.42) and blue ( beta -2.85) than in white tanks ( Lambda 3.45, alpha -0.77, beta 3.88). After cooking, animals from black tanks presented more intense orange color ( alpha 21.68, beta 33.22) than in white tanks ( alpha 12.21, beta 22.37), but presenting similar total carotenoid content. Preliminary studies have reported that background color influences the color of shrimp, but does not interfere significantly in the carotenoid amount accumulated in shrimp.Original Abstract: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da cor do tanque de cultivo sobre a coloracao e teor de carotenoides totais de camaroes Litopenaeus vannamei. Foram cultivados 500 camaroes em dois tanques brancos. Aleatoriamente, 30 camaroes foram retirados de cada tanque branco e colocados em tanques pretos. Apos 30 dias alimentados com racao comercial, foram coletados dez camaroes de cada tratamento. As analises de cor mostraram que a cor dos camaroes crus cultivados em tanques escuros foi mais escura (L* 26,02), mais esverdeada (a* -2,42) e mais azulada (b* -2,85) que os cultivados em tanques brancos (L* 33,45, a* -0,77, b* 3,88). Apos o cozimento, os animais do tanque escuro apresentaram coloracao laranja mais intensa (a* 21.68, *b 33.22) que os do tanque branco (a* 12.21, b* 22.37), mas similar teor de carotenoides totais. Estes resultados preliminares mostram que a coloracao do meio de cultivo interfere na cor dos camaroes, mas nao interfere significantemente no acumulo de carotenoides nos camaroes.