Flavour of prawns and lobsters

Abstract

The flavour of crustacea such as prawns and lobsters is very dependent on the environment in which they live. Even in unpolluted waters these animals can concentrate odorous components naturally occurring in the food chain. Some of these produce characteristic flavors in the meat which either enhance its consumer acceptability or cause its rejection. Flavors can also be formed by microbial or enzymic action during handling and processing. These can often lead to either downgrading or rejection of the unprocessed material. Sensory techniques have been used to evaluate different handling and processing procedures in efforts to overcome problems of this nature. In other cases, chemical analyses have been used to identify the compounds responsible in an effort to establish their origins and hence to develop methods that will prevent or reduce the frequency of their occurrence. This paper examines a number of novel flavors encountered in Australian Crustacea, describes their identification, suggests their origins and provides recommendations for reducing their incidence.