Abstract
Lithodes santolla (SKC) and Paralomis granulosa (FSKC) are economically important resources exploited in southern South America. The effect of refrigerated storage (4 °C on flake ice) on physico-chemical (pH, thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARs), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), water holding capacity (WHC), and water content (WC)), microbiological (total viable mesophilic bacteria (TVMC), psychrotrophic bacteria (TVPC), Staphylococcus spp, coliforms, enterobacteria, molds and yeasts) and sensory (odor, appearance, texture, juiciness, and taste) parameters was analyzed in the cooked SKC and FSKC merus. For each species, cooked merus from 36 animals were randomly distributed into 6 groups, corresponding to 0, 2, 5, 8, 11, and 14 days of storage. On each day, samples were taken for physico-chemical (n = 6), microbiological (n = 3), and sensory (n = 15) analyses. The pH values increased over time (P < 0.01 in both species), the TBARs only increased in FSKC (P = 0.008), whereas the TVB-N significantly rose only in SKC (P = 0.001). The WHC and the WC did not change over time for any of the king crab species (P > 0.05) in all cases. The presence of TVCM, TVCP, and Staphylococcus spp. in both species was observed from day 0. Furthermore, pathogenic microorganisms (S. aureus, coliforms, and enterobacteria) were not detected, and only the TVCP in SFKC reached the suggested microbial limit after 11 days. All sensory scores significantly decreased (P < 0.001) over time, but the quality of both king crab species remained acceptable until the 11th day. These findings suggest that the shelf-life of cooked merus was 11 and 8 days for SKC and SFKC, respectively, when stored at 4 °C with the presence of flake ice. These contributions consist of elucidating the shelf-life of these economically important seafood products and providing insights into their quality maintenance during storage.