includes awareness of its health benefits. Thus, when processing
seafood, it is important to understand the scientific and technical
reasons that are responsible for the sensory and health attributes
of seafood, in addition to how the manufacturing process can
affect the basic quality of seafood. The same knowledge may
lead to a reduction in the perishability of seafood, a problem
that has existed since the beginning of time, though it has been
partially solved by many modern techniques including canning,
freezing, and dehydration.
The nutritive value of seafood is well known for its content
of protein and some minerals and, recently, its fat quality.
For the past 20 years, considerable attention has been paid
to the content of polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids in fish,
especially their prevalence in fatty fish. Of course, one must
not forget the relatively high levels of cholesterol in some fish
and shellfish, especially crustaceans and squid. The biochemical
changes in macronutrients of seafood are of interest to nutritionists,
food processors, and consumers. Their importance in public
health cannot be overestimated if one considers how seafood
contributes to the nutrition and health of the human body. A
short discussion of the nutritive values of fish serves as an
introduction.
Perishability of seafood is important economically as well as
for its safety. The price of seafood can drop drastically if it is not
handled properly and is handled without refrigeration or other
forms of preservation. The biochemical aspects of seafood will
be discussed in this chapter using the following approaches: