Determining the Effects of ‘Quantitative Marinating’ on Crayfish Meat with HS-GC-IMS

A joint study between the Agricultural Products Processing Institute of Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the Yuelushan Laboratory (both in Changsha, China) developed a novel method called quantitative marinating (QM) to reduce industrial waste during the processing of crayfish meat. The taste, flavor, and aroma of crayfish meat processed by boiling (CON), stewing (SG), and QM were investigated. The determination of volatile compounds of the meat analyzed was performed using headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS). A paper based on this research was published in Frontiers in Nutrition (1).

A member of the crustacean family, native to the lakes and rivers of the southern United States and northern Mexico, the red swamp crayfish is highly adaptable to various environments and has become one of the most widely introduced freshwater species due to its notable economic value (2). The species was introduced to China in the 1930s for its culinary value and has since become a delicacy in many Chinese restaurants since (3,4). China produced approximately 2.89 million tons of crayfish in 2022, which accounted for over 70% of that year’s global supply (5). While current research on the red swamp crayfish focuses primarily on biological invasion (6), aquatic and ecological environment protection (5), and breeding and raising techniques (7), the researchers behind this study point out that data concerning the flavor characteristics of crayfish remains limited (1).

For this study, all crayfish meat was boiled in pure water on an 800 W induction cooker, heating to 100 °C and maintaining for 30 min. For the stewing group (SG), the crayfish tails and spices were placed into water and stewed for 30 min on an 800 W induction cooker, heating to 100 °C and maintaining for 30 min. The meat and spices making up the QM group was steamed at 100 °C for 10 min and baked at 50 °C for 60 min. The spices added in stewed soup and in marinade were the same, calculated on a gram-per-gram basis of crayfish tail meat (1).

The researchers reported that the crayfish processed through the QM method exhibited a higher brightness, redness, and yellowness values, as well as higher hardness, gumminess and chewiness for tightly arranged muscle fiber in microstructure. In addition, the QM reduced bitterness and astringency in the crayfish. For flavor and order compounds analysis, meat in QM had higher levels of sweet free amino acids as well as various flavor 5′-nucleotides, which impart strong umami flavor and contribute to sensory impact in savory foods (8),Furthermore, QM methods for crayfish got more volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as anethol, linalool, and 1-octanol, and relatively lower biogenic amines than stewing methods. The researchers concluded that, overall, quantitative marinating appears to be a more favorable method for preserving meat quality and flavor in crayfish (1).

Procambarus clarkii, red swamp crayfish, Louisiana crayfish. © Ladistock - stock.adobe.com

References

1. Kang, K.; Zhang, F.; Fu, F. et al. Effects of Quantitative Marinating on Meat Quality, Biogenic Amines, and Flavor Compounds in Crayfish Meat. Front. Nutr. 2025, 12, 1573987. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1573987

2. Beja, P. R. An Analysis of Otter Lutra lutra Predation on Introduced American Crayfish Procambarus clarkii in Iberian Streams. J. Appl. Ecol. 1996, 1156-1170. DOI: 10.2307/2404695

3. Ding, J.; Kang, J.; Xu, J. Comparison of Nutritional Compositions in Muscle of Cambaroides dauricus and Procambarus clarkii. Food Sci. 2010, 31 (24), 427-431.

4. Xu X, Sun C, Liu B, Zhou Q, Xu P, Liu M, Wang A, Tian H, Luo W, Jiang Q. Flesh flavor of red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii Girard, 1852) processing by GS-IMS and electronic tongue is changed by dietary animal and plant protein. Food Chem. 2022 Mar 30;373(Pt B):131453. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.131453

5. Liu. X.; Cui, L.; Li, S. et al. China Fishery Statistical Yearbook. Beijing: National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2022.

6. Souty-Grosset, C., Anastácio, P. M., Aquiloni, L. et al.The Red Swamp Crayfish Procambarus clarkii in Europe: Impacts on Aquatic Ecosystems and Human Well-Being. Limnologica 2016, 58, 78-93. DOI: 10.1016/j.limno.2016.03.003

7. Li. M.; Lv, W.; Zhao, Y. et al. Effects of Substituting Tenebrio molitor and Elodea nuttallii as Feed on Growth, Flesh Quality and Intestinal Microbiota of Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). Foods 2024, 13 (14), 2292. DOI: DOI: 10.3390/foods13142292

8. Bende, V. Common Flavor Enhancers Compared. Periodical by Knowde website. https://periodical.knowde.com/common-flavor-enhancers-compared/#:~:text=5'%2DNucleotides&text=IMP%20and%20GMP%20among%20the,and%20are%20often%20used%20together (accessed 2025-04-25)