LSU researchers develop a way to keep eggs fresh for longer using cancer shells – WAFB

Baton Rouge, La. (WAFB) – Louisiana produces 850 million pounds of seafood every year, according to the Promotion and Marketing Council in Louisiana. Much of this includes crustaceans such as crabs, shrimp and crabs. It follows that Louisiana also produces a lot of seafood waste after these crustaceans are processed. However, researchers at the LSU Nutrition and Food School have developed a way to turn a smelly by -product from the seafood industry into a way to make other foods to last more on the shelf.

“The idea is to reduce the waste from the processing of seafood, especially from shrimp, crabs and crabs,” explains Dr. Whitun Proyuvacu, a professor specializing in food science.

As prinyAwiwatkul explains, crustaceans can be broken into chitosan, a natural compound with broad applications, especially when it comes to preserving food.

“There is an antimicrobial property in food,” says PrinyAwiwatkul. “Kills bacteria, kills pathogens.”

When used as a coating, chitosan can help prolong the life of non -permanent foods such as fruits, vegetables, eggs and even seafood. It creates a protective barrier that prevents bacteria and other pathogens and also prevents water loss.

One of the most promising examples comes from the researcher Dr. Jupeg Gao. She experimented with different concentrations of chitosan to cover eggs. Chitosan replaces the natural protective flowering that covers the eggs while laid. However, this flowering is washed during processing, which is why the eggs sold in stores in the United States must be cooled. She found that the chitosan coating allows raw eggs to be stored at room temperature for up to 7 weeks without losing the USDA quality assessment.

“I see a lot of potential there,” Gao said.

Chitosan itself is not a new compound and has many applications, including as a nutritional supplement in the medical field. What makes the compound developed in LSU is different is that it is water soluble.

In previous applications such as food preservative, chitosan requires weak acid such as vinegar to dissolve.

According to PrinyaWitwatkul, only the smell made it unsuitable for wide use in the food industry. The water-soluble version of LSU facilitates use more efficiently.

“Because it is odorless now, we can use it in almost anything,” Gao said.

With egg prices jumped, Gao says that their chitosan compound has the potential to allow the egg industry to transport and sell eggs without using cold storage. This can lead to savings for both companies and customers.

Researchers say that this also gives the fisherman a way to take advantage of the largest by -product of their industry, creating other use for old shells.

Although you will soon not see eggs covered with chitosan, in the store, Prinyawiwatkul says they have patented their compound and hope to put it on the market of companies in the food industry for more development.

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