USE OF WASTE FROM GRAY SHRIMP (Litopenaeus vannamei): A CULINARY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE
Environmental perception. Shrimp residue meal. Shrimp flavored biscuit. Sensory analysis.
One of the bottlenecks in the shrimp farming sector is the disposal of waste generated by the removal of shrimp fillets. The main objectives of this research were two: first, to deepen a socio-environmental diagnosis in the District of Pajuçara, municipality of São Gonçalo do Amarante, RN. As for the environmental perception, it was found that 70% of the respondents to a questionnaire recognize the environmental problem of disposing of tailings from shrimp filleting activity in the Potengi River estuary, a boundary of the district. We also found that 75% believe it is possible to prepare nutritious and tasty foods from filleting residues, but only 35% know some technique for using the cephalothorax (shrimp head). As a second objective, we developed a flour from the residue (cephalothorax) from the processing of gray shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) and this flour was one of the ingredients of a shrimp flavored biscuit. The analyzes of proximate composition (moisture, protein, lipids, fibers and ash), microbiological (thermotolerant coliforms at 45°C; research of Salmonella sp., Coagulase positive Staphylococci, molds and yeasts), were carried out for the flour and samples of the final product. The shrimp flavored biscuit was also evaluated sensorially (Global Acceptance Test, Ideal Scale and Attitude Test – purchase intention). The microbiological analysis of the biscuits was within the limits of the legislation, confirming the hygienic–sanitary care during processing. Among the components of the proximate composition of the flour developed, the highlight was the protein content (53.6% - flour; and 16.9% - formulation C of the biscuit). The Global Acceptance Index of the products was 74.55 (Standard Formulation - A); 64.21% (Formulation B) and 57.24% (Formulation C). The results showed that the residue from the processing of gray shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) used can be used as an ingredient for the production of crackers, although the result demonstrated by the sensory analysis has indicated the need to improve some attributes of the samples.