Methods for the processing of underutilized hard-shelled crustaceans

Abstract

Methods are provided for separating the intact shell of hard-shelled crustaceans of any species from the raw edible meat contained therein which is very strongly attached to the shells. The methods each include the first step of initiating the detachment of the raw edible meat from the intact shell by the step of subjecting the intact shell to at least one freeze-thaw cycle, where the thawing is carried out in cold water or cold brine to minimize deterioration of the flavour of the crustacean meat. Then the intact shell is separated from the raw edible meat by several different alternative steps. One alternative step includes subjecting the so-treated intact shell to vacuum aspiration to separate the intact shell from the raw edible crustacean meat, so as to recover the raw edible crustacean meat. These methods may also be used for the recovery of raw edible intact crustacean meat, from easy-to-process clawed lobsters of the Homaridae family, easy-to-process crab, e.g., Snow crab, Maryland Blue crab, Alaska King crab, Dungeness crab, and to lobster-like crustaceans, including some types of prawn, Nephrops norwegicus and freshwater crayfish species. The method is particularly adapted to the processing of hard-to-process clawless Spiny lobster and Rock lobster species of temperate and tropical origin, species of the genera Panulirus, Jasus and Chelonectes.