Processing and Shelf-Life Prediction Models for Ready-to-Eat Crayfish

This study investigated the production process of ready-to-eat crayfish, focusing on changes in sensory quality, pH, total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), total viable count (TVC), acid value (AV), springiness, and hardness during storage at 4 °C, 25 °C, and 37 °C. A shelf-life prediction model was developed using the Arrhenius model. The optimal crayfish formula was determined to be 0.12% spices, 0.80% salt, and a stewing time of 70 min, which achieved the highest sensory score of 9.25 points. This combination resulted in shrimp meat with an intact texture, a soft and smooth taste, and rich spicy and briny flavors. A Pearson correlation analysis showed significant correlations among TVB-N, TVC, AV, springiness, and hardness. When fitting each indicator with zero-order, first-order, and second-order kinetics, TVB-N, AV, and springiness aligned more closely with the zero-order kinetics model, while TVC and hardness fit better with the first-order kinetics model. The Arrhenius equation-based shelf-life model demonstrated an error margin of 9.1% between predicted and actual quality indicators, confirming its feasibility for predicting the quality and shelf life of spicy crayfish. These findings provide a crucial theoretical basis for the intelligent prediction of storage and distribution conditions for ready-to-eat crayfish.