99
by decarboxylation of free amino acids that are formed by decarboxylation of low
molecular weight amino acids and are naturally present in tissues or post-mortem.
Lobsters can be rejected if high levels of biogenic amines are detected
(Arulkumar 2018).
Live Storage of Lobsters
The main advantage of live storage is that lobsters can be kept under optimal conditions. Another advantage is that it can be purchased when it is abundant and relatively inexpensive and then stored for sale when prices increase. Live storage also
provides marketing and sales flexibility. Various systems for storing lobsters are
available. These changes from the simple ponds to the bays on the shores, areas created at sea, and areas with recirculation system using artificial sea water at land.
They are suitable for holding a small number or many lobsters for periods ranging
from several days to several months. They are even kept in decorative units in hotels
and restaurants. The ponds and bays are generally geographically isolated areas and
the lobsters are temporarily stored there before being shipped to the market. The
survival of lobsters during storage depends on the quality of the water in which they
are found. If the water quality is poor, then the survival rate will decrease and there
will be an increased risk of mass deaths. For successful lobster storage, water quality factors should be kept in balance at the same time. Negative changes in any of
these conditions will undoubtedly affect the survival of the lobster. The main water
quality factors for storing lobster are oxygen, temperature, and salinity. On the other
hand, waste materials such as ammonia excreted by the lobsters are also considered
as water quality factors (Beard and McGregor 2004).
Boiling Live Lobsters
The most popular and traditional way to cook live lobsters is boiling and steaming.
If you want to bring lobster to the table as whole, cooking is the most appropriate
method. Boiling is a bit quicker and easier. Separating of meat from the shell is
easier with boiling compared to the steaming. In contrast, steaming is gentler, yielding slightly more tender meat. It preserves a little more flavour and it is more forgiving on the timing front. It is better to cook lobsters before chilling or freezing than to
store them raw. Cooking is carried out by immersing lobsters placed in wire baskets
in water containing about 2–3% salt. Since the lobsters added to the water reduce the
water temperature, the cooking time should be measured from the moment the water
temperature returns to the boiling point. The cooking time varies depending on the
size of the lobsters and usually takes 15–30 min. Weight loss of 5–25% occurs during cooking. Once the lobster is cooked, it must be removed from the water. In fact,
the lobster continues to cook in its shell even when it is removed from the cooking
water. So, it is best to take it out just before cooking. After cooking, the lobsters
should be cooled down quickly therefore they place in ice water bath. If lobster is not
chilled fast enough, it loses as much as 12% of its weight. Rapid chilling after it is
2.3 Lobsters
by decarboxylation of free amino acids that are formed by decarboxylation of low
molecular weight amino acids and are naturally present in tissues or post-mortem.
Lobsters can be rejected if high levels of biogenic amines are detected
(Arulkumar 2018).
Live Storage of Lobsters
The main advantage of live storage is that lobsters can be kept under optimal conditions. Another advantage is that it can be purchased when it is abundant and relatively inexpensive and then stored for sale when prices increase. Live storage also
provides marketing and sales flexibility. Various systems for storing lobsters are
available. These changes from the simple ponds to the bays on the shores, areas created at sea, and areas with recirculation system using artificial sea water at land.
They are suitable for holding a small number or many lobsters for periods ranging
from several days to several months. They are even kept in decorative units in hotels
and restaurants. The ponds and bays are generally geographically isolated areas and
the lobsters are temporarily stored there before being shipped to the market. The
survival of lobsters during storage depends on the quality of the water in which they
are found. If the water quality is poor, then the survival rate will decrease and there
will be an increased risk of mass deaths. For successful lobster storage, water quality factors should be kept in balance at the same time. Negative changes in any of
these conditions will undoubtedly affect the survival of the lobster. The main water
quality factors for storing lobster are oxygen, temperature, and salinity. On the other
hand, waste materials such as ammonia excreted by the lobsters are also considered
as water quality factors (Beard and McGregor 2004).
Boiling Live Lobsters
The most popular and traditional way to cook live lobsters is boiling and steaming.
If you want to bring lobster to the table as whole, cooking is the most appropriate
method. Boiling is a bit quicker and easier. Separating of meat from the shell is
easier with boiling compared to the steaming. In contrast, steaming is gentler, yielding slightly more tender meat. It preserves a little more flavour and it is more forgiving on the timing front. It is better to cook lobsters before chilling or freezing than to
store them raw. Cooking is carried out by immersing lobsters placed in wire baskets
in water containing about 2–3% salt. Since the lobsters added to the water reduce the
water temperature, the cooking time should be measured from the moment the water
temperature returns to the boiling point. The cooking time varies depending on the
size of the lobsters and usually takes 15–30 min. Weight loss of 5–25% occurs during cooking. Once the lobster is cooked, it must be removed from the water. In fact,
the lobster continues to cook in its shell even when it is removed from the cooking
water. So, it is best to take it out just before cooking. After cooking, the lobsters
should be cooled down quickly therefore they place in ice water bath. If lobster is not
chilled fast enough, it loses as much as 12% of its weight. Rapid chilling after it is
2.3 Lobsters