Impact of post-rigor high pressure processing on the physicochemical and microbial shelf-life of cultured red abalone (Haliotis rufescens)

High pressure processing (HPP) of post-rigor abalone at 300 MPa for 10 min extended the refrigerated shelf-life to four times that of unprocessed controls. Shucked abalone meats were processed at 100 or 300 MPa for 5 or 10 min, and stored at 2 °C for 35 days. Treatments were analyzed for aerobic plate count (APC), total volatile base nitrogen (TVBN), K-value, biogenic amines, color, and texture. APC did not exceed 106 and TVBN levels remained below 35 mg/100 g for 35 days for the 300 MPa treatments. No biogenic amines were detected in the 300 MPa treatments, but putrescine and cadaverine were detected in the control and 100 MPa treatments. Color and texture were not affected by HPP or storage time. These results indicate that post-rigor processing at 300 MPa for 10 min can significantly increase refrigerated shelf-life of abalone without affecting chemical or physical quality characteristics important to consumers.