Effects of high-pressure and heat treatments on physical and biochemical characteristics of oysters (Crassostrea gigas)

Physical and biochemical changes in oysters following high-pressure (HP) treatment at 260 MPa for 3 min or heat treatment (cool pasteurisation (CP) at 50 °C for 10 min or traditional pasteurisation (TP) at 75 °C for 8 min) were investigated and compared to changes in untreated oysters. HP or TP oysters had higher (P < 0.05) pH values (6.49-6.58) than untreated or CP oysters (6.45-6.46). HP and heat treatment both modified the gross composition of oyster tissue. The protein content of HP-treated oysters (6.9%) was significantly (P < 0.05) lower compared to control or heat-treated oysters (7.9-9.1%). The moisture content of HP-treated whole oyster tissue (86.5%) was higher than that of heat-treated or untreated oysters (83.5-84.7%), but HP or CP treatments did not affect the salt content or water activity of oysters. However, all treatments increased Hunter L- (66.3-68.9) while decreasing a- (- 1.6 to - 2.4) and b- (15.8-14.5) values of oyster tissue; overall, HP treatment had less negative effects on tissue colour of oysters than thermal treatments. HP-treated, CP and TP oysters had higher shucking yields (15.5%, 12.5% and 2.6%, respectively) than untreated oysters. One significant advantage of HP treatment over heat treatment of oysters was that the former process opened the oyster and separated the muscle of the oyster from the shell.