Graduation date: 1972

Thesis (M.S.) in Food Science and Human Nutrition--University of Maine, 2001. / Includes vita. Advisory Committee: Denise Skonberg, Asst. Prof. of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Advisor; Alfred A. Bushway, Prof. of Food Science; Mary Ellen Camire, Prof. of Food Science and Human Nutrition; Robert Bayer, Prof. of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Linda Kling, Assoc. Prof. of Animal and Veterinary Sciences. Bibliography: leaves 184-192.

The purpose of this study is to describe Dungeness crab marketing from the ocean floor to the ultimate consumer; to identify relations among the Oregon Dungeness crab industry, the Pacific Coast Dungeness crab industry, and the Alaska King crab industry; and to specify the relationships between fishermen's prices for Dungeness crab and levels of Oregon production1 levels of total U.S. Dungeness crab production, levels of King crab production, and King crab prices. Primary data were gathered from fishermen, processors, state fish agencies, and the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. Secondary sources were utilized to gain general information on King crab fishing and processing. Dungeness crab is usually sold by fishermen to processors. Processors generally sell the crab through brokers to fish wholesalers, but they may also sell directly to fish wholesalers or retailers. A definite seasonal trend was found in prices received by fishermen. However, cyclical movements have a much greater impact upon absolute price levels received by fishermen. Total catch of Dungeness crab and King crab prices were found to play important roles in determining prices received by Oregon Dungeness crab fishermen. It is concluded from the analysis that: (1) an industry-wide commission is needed to advertise and promote Dungeness crab products; (2) the ocean fishing season should be opened January 1 instead of December 1 of each year; (3) processors should endeavor to expand into new marketing areas to increase demand for their products;(4) grades and quality standards should be established; and (5) further research is needed in the technological, biological, and economic aspects of Dungeness crab production and marketing. / Graduation date: 1967

Thesis (M. Sc.), Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1998. / Bibliography: leaves 91-95.

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1994. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 109-115). Also available via the Internet.

Graduation date: 1961

Graduation date: 1968

Crab meat is important to the economy of coastal Virginia. The objectives of this study were to complete a shelf-life study on two different packaging styles of fresh crab meat and to test the inhibition capabilities of Carnobacterium piscicola against the pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes. In a shelf-life study, a 12 ounce food grade polyethylene traditional snap-lid container of fresh crab meat was compared to an 8 ounce SimpleStep® trays with Cryovac™ film of equally fresh crab meat sealed with 10,000 cc/m2/24hr oxygen transmission rate (OTR) film. Eleven g samples were used for the microbial shelf-life study conducted at 4°C for 12 days. Aerobic plate counts of crab meat indicated microbial growth from the SimpleStep® trays with Cryovac™ film in 10,000 cc/m2/24hr OTR versus the polyethylene snap-lid was not significant (P>0.05). In objective two, 25 g samples of fresh and pasteurized blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) meat were inoculated with 0.1ml of each, C. piscicola and L. monocytogenes. Three different concentrations of the inoculation levels were studied on select days at both 4°C and 10°C. Microbial spoilage was defined as 107 CFU/g. In fresh crab meat, at both 4°C and 10°C, crab meat spoilage occurred at 7 days or less. In the pasteurized crab meat, at 4°C and 10°C, spoilage did not occur prior to 26 days, and studies were terminated at 28 days of storage. The growth of the two organisms in fresh crab meat was found to be significant for the differing concentration levels and sampling days (P<0.05). The growth of the two organisms in pasteurized crab meat was significant for different concentration levels, sampling days and temperature (P<0.05). In both fresh and pasteurized crab meat, regardless of the inoculation ratios, the L. monocytogenes and C.piscicola followed similar growth trends, but L. monocytogenes was higher in the 2:2 CFU/g concentration and lower at the 6:2 CFU/g concentration level. Although C. piscicola did not completely inhibit L. monocytogenes growth at any concentration ratio, some inhibition was observed. / Master of Science

A number of crab processors in the Maryland and Virginia region experienced an abnormally high incidence of spoilage in their pasteurized product in the fall of 1989. The spoilage was only seen in cans that were processed either shortly before or after hurricane Hugo and the majority of spoilage occurred in machine picked meat only. All processors pasteurized the meat at least to an Fi~5 of 32 minutes, which is the minimum National Blue Crab Industry Association (NBCIA) recommendation. Spoiled pasteurized crabmeat, processed in 1989 and 1990, were analyzed for their microbial content. Several cans that had spoiled in 1972 were also analyzed for microbial content Isolated organisms were tested for heat tolerance, and those organisms able to survive an F11~5 of 32 minutes or longer were identified. Can seams were evaluated to determine if the spoilage was due to post processing contamination. Approximate D-values were determined for the heat tolerant organisms. A psychrotrophic Clostridium sp. was found in all cans tested from a Maryland processor, Processor B. This processor only had spoilage in machine picked meat pasteurized after hurricane Hugo. Spoilage was seen in cans which had received a F 16/185 of 80 to 100 minutes. Spores from this organism had an approximate D-value of 6.5 minutes at 85 C in brain heart infusion broth (BHI). Cans from Processor B did not show any seam defects, and it was concluded that spoilage was due to the survival of spores, during pasteurization, from the Clostridium sp. that were able to outgrow at the temperature at which crabmeat is stored commercially. A Bacillus sp., possibly Bacillus pasteuranii, was found in one can from Processor B. Spores from this organism have an approximate D-value of 26.5 minutes in BHI broth at 85 C. This organism is unable to grow at refrigeration temperatures and it is not felt to have caused spoilage in the crabmeat. The Clostridium sp. found in cans from Processor B, pasteurized in 1989 and 1990, was also found in a can of jumbo lump meat from Processor D, processed in 1989, and a can of claw meat from Processor E, pasteurized around 1972. Cans from Processor A, who saw small amounts of spoilage before hurricane Hugo and in some hand- picked meat as well as machine piced meat had can seam measurements which did not meet specifications. It was concluded that spoilage from this processor was due to post-processing contamination. Crab processors must be aware that spores, from organisms that are able to outgrow at refrigeration temperatures, are able to survive pasteurization. The Clostridium sp. isolated in this study is one example. Processors will need to make sure their product is receiving sufficient heat to kill all spores of these organisms, while still maintaining a product with good sensory characteristics. It appears, from this study, that crab processors may want to increase the F-value that a lot of crabmeat receives after major storms, since the Clostridium sp. seemed to show up after hurricanes. Finally, crab processors need to be stringent in their sanitation and cleanliness so as to minimize the numbers of these types of organisms in their product. / Master of Science

The Food and Drug Administration has recently expressed concern for the safety of seafood and seafood products. One of the concerns is the presence of Bacillus cereus in fresh blue crab meat. Bacillus cereus is a spore-forming pathogen whose spores survive the customary thermal treatments applied during cooking and pasteurization; therefore it could potentially present a health concern to consumers as the microorganism could increase to pathogenic levels. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of a post-processing method i.e. high hydrostatic pressure treatment on the quality of fresh crab meat and to evaluate the effectiveness of high pressures on the inactivation of B. cereus spores. Fresh blue crab meat was pressurized at 300 and 550 MPa at 25° C for 5 min and stored at 4° C for 31 days to determine the pressurization effects on the microbiological, physical, and sensory quality of the meat. A pressure of 300 MPa caused a 1 log reduction in total aerobic plate count and a 3 day lag period, whereas 550 MPa inactivated 2 logs in total aerobic plate count with no evident lag phase. Physical and sensory qualities of pressurized crab meat were not statistically different from the untreated crab meat (P>0.05). A pressure of 300 MPa extended the shelf-life from 17 to over 24 days with the prevalence of Carnobacterium piscicola at the time of spoilage. Crab meat treated with 550 MPa was not rejected by sensory panels at day 31 and Enterococcus spp. was identified as the predominant microorganism. High hydrostatic pressure (550 MPa at 40° C for 15 min) inactivated less than 1 log (0.66 log) of B. cereus spores inoculated in fresh crab meat. The meat essentially had a protective effect on pressure inactivation of the spores. During storage (31 days), surviving B. cereus was suppressed and outgrown by the other pressure resistant microflora at a storage temperature of 12° C. At 4° C, B. cereus could compete with the other pressure-resistant microflora and was isolated even at the end of the storage period (day 31); however, diarrheal toxin was not detected in any stored samples. / Ph. D.