Quality Assessment and Sensory Evaluation of Dried Pickle Green Mussels (Perna viridis L.) after Prepared by Different Drying Processes

Background: Pickle-green mussels have been reported as a functional food with health promoting effects provided by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and its metabolites. Therefore, the inappropriate chemical preservative use may reduce its shelf-life. Methods: Pickle-green mussel without chemical preservative was determined the condition of fermentation and was dried with hot air-and freeze-drying techniques. The dried products were evaluated for appearance and color, moisture content, water activity (aw), texture profile and rehydration property. The original and seasoning flavors of freeze-dried products were determined for nutritive values, microbial contamination and sensory evaluation. Result: The fermentation conditions of pickle mussels were proper acidity and amount of LAB, while the salinity was lower than previous study. The color of freeze-dried pickles mussels was brighter than hot air-dried pickle mussels. The seasoning within freeze-dried products slightly affects the appearance of these dried products. The moisture and aw of dried pickle mussels from both drying methods were able to preserve this products. The texture profiles of freeze-dried pickle mussels were crispier and easy to consume as snacks, while hot air-dried pickle mussels were harder and stickier, which were suitable for jerky food. The rehydration ratio (RR) of freeze-dried pickle mussels was preferable at 1:5 and 1:10. The nutritive values of different product flavors were not different and total plate counts were less than 103 CFU/g that was lower enough for prolonging shelf life as ready-to-eat food. As a sensory evaluation, the panels tasted like almost all parameters of the seasoning flavor, except their appearance.