Microbiological Quality of Crabmeat During Processing

Abstract

Duplicate samples of crab and crabmeat (body meat and claw meat) were collected four times a day for two consecutive days at seven in-line locations (plus finished product claw and body meat) along the processing lines of 47 crabmeat plants located along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States. All the plants adhered to Good Manufacturing Practice, as determined by visual inspection. Two sanitation inspections and sample collections were conducted at 5-month intervals to reflect seasonal variation. In all, 8,477 in-line samples and 2,459 finished product units of blue crab and crabmeat and 522 in-line samples and 128 finished product units of red crab and Maine crab and crabmeat were analyzed microbiologically. Geometric mean aerobic plate count at 35°C (APC 35) values increased from 1,200 CFU/g before pick to 20,000 CFU/g in the finished product (body meat). For claw meat, APC 35 values increased from 15,000 CFU/g before pick to 24,000 CFU/g in the finished product. Aerobic plate count at 30°C (APC 30) values were consistently higher (2-fold or less) than APC 35 values. Coliform counts in both finished products were ≥19/g in approximately 60% of the units. Coliforms exceeded 500/g in 3.8 and 3.2% of the finished product units for body meat and claw meat, respectively. Geometric mean Escherichia coli counts were <3 for all sample sites and finished products, with only 3.3 and 2.7% of the units showing detectable E. coli for body meat and claw meat, respectively. Geometric mean values for Staphylococcus aureus were 16.8/g for finished body meat and 16.0/g for finished claw meat; approximately 20% of the units of both finished products had S. aureus values >100/g. S. aureus counts increased significantly after picking.

EFFECT OF PROCESSING VARIABLES ON MICROBIAL QUALITY AND SHELF‐LIFE OF BLUE CRAB (CALLINECTES SAPIDUS) MEAT

“…Crabmeat is a highly perishable product and its microbial quality is further jeopardized by intensive handling such as backing, picking, and packing operations after cooking (Wentz et al 1985;Ward et al 1983). Handling causes severe post-cook contamination and shortens the shelf-life of the product (Slocum 1955;Phillips and Peeler 1972).…”

“…Handling causes severe post-cook contamination and shortens the shelf-life of the product (Slocum 1955;Phillips and Peeler 1972). Wentz et al (1985) found that the geometric mean aerobic plate count at 35C increased from 1,200 CFU/g (Colony Forming Units) before picking to 20,000 CFU/g in the finished product (body meat).…”

Slaughter, storage, transport, and packaging of crustaceans

“…A survey of over 10 000 crab meat samples by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (Wentz et al, 1985) showed the geometric mean aerobic plate count at 35 ëC (APC 35) values increased from 1 200 cfu/g before picking to 20 000 cfu/g in the finished product (body meat). For claw meat, APC 35 values increased from 15 000 cfu/g before picking to 24 000 cfu/g in the final product.…”

Standardization of Pasteurization Process for Soft- and Hard-Shell Blue Swimming Crab (Portunus pelagicus)

“…Bacterial pathogens of concern in pasteurized products are Listeria monocytogenes and nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum types E, B, and F. In pasteurized blue crab meat, the other bacteria of importance are Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus [37,38]. Gates and Parker [36] stated that L. monocytogenes is not thermally resistant and can be easily eliminated from a pasteurized product if properly heated.…”