{"id":21183,"date":"2024-03-12T14:02:09","date_gmt":"2024-03-12T18:02:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/?page_id=21183"},"modified":"2024-03-12T14:02:10","modified_gmt":"2024-03-12T18:02:10","slug":"hpp-atlantic-blue-crab-acceptance-assessments","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/hpp-atlantic-blue-crab-acceptance-assessments\/","title":{"rendered":"HPP Atlantic Blue Crab Acceptance Assessments"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n
The Atlantic blue crabmeat industry has significant culinary and economic importance in the United States \u2013 particularly in Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia \u2013 where many small, independent crabmeat businesses operate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Domestic blue crabmeat is sold either fresh-picked in plastic snap-lid cups or heat pasteurized in metal or plastic cans. Fresh blue crabmeat is by far the more popular, but its refrigerated shelf life, or keeping quality, is short \u2013 about five to seven days. This coupled with its high cost makes fresh domestic crabmeat a less desirable seafood choice compared to crabmeat from overseas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Researchers at the University of Maryland, in collaboration with NC State University, Louisiana State University and Virginia Tech University, are testing a non-thermal food and beverage preservation method called high pressure processing (HPP) to protect the safety and enhance the keeping quality of fresh blue crabmeat, while preserving its desirable sensory and nutritional qualities. Currently, this process is used to extend the keeping quality of oysters, fish, meat, milk, jams and fruit juices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n