Crustacean quality - excluding prawns
The quality assessment checks listed below are specific to crustaceans other than prawns. Please refer also to the general quality assessment checks for all sensory criteria, which cover all seafood.
Quality checklist
Appearance
Check | Higher quality | Lesser quality | Comment |
---|---|---|---|
All-when alive |
Legs move when touched; rocklobster tail curls under when the animal is picked up |
Little movement; rocklobster tail hangs limp when the animal is picked up |
More vigorous movement signifies better quality. Chilled seafood will move less and be slightly limp. |
Shell condition |
Not cracked, no missing body parts |
Some cracks, and releases large amounts of liquid when shaken (especially when cooked); some missing body parts |
If cracked, the flavour and texture of the flesh can be damaged by water during cooking. If the flesh is dry, the animal has probably "bled" or been overcooked. |
Colour |
No discolouration; most are bright red or orange when cooked |
Black discolouration beginning to form at the mouth, head or base of tail |
Discolouration often occurs first at the joints. |
Flesh colour |
Translucent when raw; opaque when cooked; no brown staining |
Green, yellow, brown and/or with dark spots when raw; creamy, yellow or grey when cooked; slight brown staining at top of tail (not in crabs) |
Living environment can affect flesh colour, and the flesh of some species has a yellow tinge. Crab claw meat tends to be darker, and is often not used where presentation is important. |
Odour
Check | Higher quality | Lesser quality | Comment |
---|---|---|---|
Pleasant smells, virtually odourless |
Beginning to smell like seaweed or garlic when uncooked; slight ammonia smell |
Smell is a reliable guide to quality. Meat in the carapace will go "off" first because it has closest contact with the guts. For crabs, lift up the abdominal flap to check the smell. |
Texture
Check | Higher quality | Lesser quality | Comment |
---|---|---|---|
Shell |
Hard (unless a soft shell crab product) |
Soft (unless a soft shell crab product) |
Check for softness by firmly pressing the underside of the shell near the base of the claw. (Note: if the animal has moulted recently, the shell will be softer.) |
Flesh |
Moist, firm and juicy |
Some dryness; slightly chewy or tough |
If the crustacean is stressed the meat may toughen. Undercooking leads to mushiness, overcooking usually results in tough flesh. If the animal has moulted recently, the flesh tends to be softer and not as stringy. |