OCCURRENCE PULP OF A DEEPER RED COLOUR IN PRAWN PREPARED FROM ICED-PRAWNS

Abstract

In commerce, great importance is given to the colour of the
dry prawn pulp in its quality evaluation. The possible correlation
between this colour factor to the iced or uniced condition of the raw
prawn used, is investigated. The study reveals that as the icing period
of the raw material increases the colour of the finished product
proportionately intensifies to a bright red compared to light brownish
yellow or orange colour of the product from the uniced prawn, and
at the same time aU the other characteristics like flavour and taste
deteriorates as the time of icing advances. This finding tend to show
that the colour factor does not reflect the true quality of prawn pulp.
Based on chemical data it is suggested that "browning" due to
Maillard reaction may have an important role in this colour
phenomena.