Quality assessment of weathervane scallop (Patinopecten caurinus) and purple-hinge rock scallop (Crassadoma gigantea) from Alaska

Abstract

In Alaska, the Pacific weathervane scallop (Patinopecten caurinus) is the only species commercially harvested. In the Eastern Gulf of Alaska, harvesters report occurrences of poor quality and difficult to market scallops from some fishing areas, designating the product 'weak meat' scallops. The purple-hinge rock scallop (PHRS, Crassadoma gigantea), has aquaculture potential. A recent grow-out study in Alaska was promising, verifying this potential. Our goal was to assess the quality of Alaskan scallops using physical and chemical analyses to understand the perceived differences in meat quality. 'Weak meat' (WS) and standard quality (SS) whole weathervane scallops from Yakutat, two batches of scallop muscle from Kodiak (KS1, KS2) and a group of whole PHRS from Southeast Alaska were sampled. Compared to KS1, KS2 and SS, muscle condition was lower (P<0.05), moisture content was higher (P<0.05) and glycogen content was below the detection limit (<0.62%) in WS. There were no differences (P>0.05) in proximate composition between PHRS and Kodiak scallops, however, PHRS had higher (P<0.05) levels of [omega]-6 fatty acids. Results confirmed anecdotal information from harvesters that WS was inferior in quality when compared to either SS or KS. Furthermore, we concluded that PHRS meat was of high quality, similar to Kodiak scallops.