ICAR Research Data Repository for Knowledge Management

Seafood processing industry is one of the major food industries in India. Nearly 190,000 tonnes of crustaceans particularly shrimps are processed annually in these export oriented industries. Export of frozen shrimps during the period 2000 – 01 was 110,000 tonnes valued at Rs 44,820 million. These shrimp processing industries generate large quantities of shrimp waste in the form of head and body carapace. These byproducts are valuable source of proteins (35 – 40% DWB), chitin (10 –15% DWB), minerals and natural carotenoids. At present they are being used in small quantities as shrimp meal for aquaculture and poultry diets and for production of chitin/chitosan. However a considerable quantity of this valuable byproduct is being wasted, resulting in not only the loss of valuable components but also environmental pollution.Studies on efficient utilization of shrimp industry byproducts have been concentrated on recovery of protein and chitin from the waste. Not much attention has been given towards recovery of other valuable marketable products like carotenoids. There is a great demand for natural carotenoids as a replacement for currently used synthetic carotenoids in foods and feeds. The studies on characterization of carotenoids in crustaceans are restricted to species from temperate waters. The scientific data on quantitative and qualitative distribution of carotenoids in crustaceans from Indian waters is lacking. There is a need for development of suitable methods for recovery of carotenoids from the byproducts of shrimps form Indian waters and evaluating their suitability as coloring ingredients in food and feed.In view of the above, studies were carried out to determine the yield and chemical composition of body components from 4 species of shallow water shrimps namely Penaeus monodon, P indicus, Metapenaeus dobsoni, Parapenaeopsis stylifera, two species of deep sea shrimps namely Solonocera indica and Aristeus alcocki, one species of fresh water prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii, one species of crab each from marine water (Charybdis cruciata) and fresh water (Potamon potamon). Total carotenoid content in different body components was determined. The qualitative distribution of carotenoids was determined by identifying the major carotenoids by thin layer chromatography (TLC), absorption spectra and by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Carotenoid esters from the extracts of different body components were analyzed for fatty acid profile by gas chromatography (GC).
In order to recover the carotenoids from the shrimp waste, extractability of carotenoids in different organic solvents and solvent mixtures was evaluated and the conditions for solvent extraction were optimized by a statistically designed experiment. Studies were also carried out on extractability of carotenoids in different vegetable oils. The optimized conditions for oil extraction of carotenoids were established. The effect of hydrolysis of waste with different proteases prior to extraction in oil on the yield was studied and the hydrolysis and extraction conditions were optimized. The effect of antioxidants and storage in different packaging conditions on the stability of recovered carotenoids was evaluated. The suitability of recovered carotenoids as colorants in fish products was assessed by incorporation of carotenoids in fish sausages. The pigmentation efficiency of carotenoids in ornamental fishes was evaluated by fish feeding experiments.