Quality Assessment of Frozen Solenocera crassicornis Treated with Sodium Metabisulphite by Soaking or Spraying

The present work was carried out to evaluate the safety of shrimp（Solenocera crassicornis） treated with different concentrations of sodium metabisulfite（SMB） by soaking or spraying during frozen storage. Shrimps soaked in higher concentrations of SMB showed higher sensory scores, lower total color differences, and better anti-melanosis effects than shrimps in the control and other treatment groups throughout frozen storage（-18℃）. Lower total volatile basic nitrogen and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and higher salt soluble protein contents were detected in shrimp soaked with high doses of SMB compared with other samples. In addition, lower counts of total aerobic plates and psychrotrophic bacteria were observed in shrimp treated by soaking with higher doses of SMB than those in control shrimp and shrimp treated with other methods during frozen storage（-18℃）. However, the SO2 content of 5% SMB-soaked samples exceeded the maximum allowable limit of 100 mg kg-1. Overall, the use of 1.5% SMB soaking to treat shrimp results in good antioxidant and antimicrobial effects and, thus, may be suggested to preserve S. crassicornis under frozen conditions. The results of this study present important guidance on the use of SMB to maintain the quality of marine-trawling shrimp from manufacturing to consumption.