The American lobster (Homarus americanus) is a resource of high economic value in international seafood markets, particularly for countries along the Northwestern Atlantic coast, where its fishing and trade are subject to strict regulations. However, the complexity of post-harvest operations, including appropriate storage and transportation, can significantly compromise the vitality and overall quality of lobsters intended for commercial sale, with negative repercussions for the entire sector. In this context, it is crucial to identify new evaluation tools that enable precise and timely monitoring of lobster health throughout the production chain. This thesis aims to investigate the use of haemolymph Brix value as an innovative physiological and biochemical parameter for assessing the commercial quality and welfare status of the American lobster. To achieve this, Brix measurements were taken from the haemolymph of various lobsters, originating from different batches and suppliers over a five-month period. These values were then compared with the mortality rates recorded internally by the company where the study was conducted, revealing a correlation of -0.412, with a p-value < 0.01, indicating high statistical significance. The results obtained suggest that the Brix value may serve as a predictive indicator of lobster vitality and resilience to environmental and operational stress, providing valuable insights for the seafood industry in preventing stress and mortality in lobsters, as well as in improving the quality perceived by the final consumer.
L’astice americano (Homarus americanus) rappresenta una risorsa di elevato valore economico per i mercati ittici internazionali, in particolare per le nazioni affacciate sull’Atlantico nord-occidentale, dove la sua pesca e commercializzazione sono oggetto di normative stringenti. Tuttavia, la complessità delle operazioni post-cattura, tra cui il corretto stoccaggio e il trasporto, può compromettere significativamente la vitalità e la qualità complessiva degli esemplari destinati al commercio, con ripercussioni negative sull’intero settore. In questo contesto, risulta essenziale individuare nuovi strumenti di valutazione che consentano di monitorare in modo preciso e tempestivo lo stato di salute dell’astice lungo l’intera filiera produttiva. La presente tesi si propone di approfondire l’impiego del grado° Brix dell’emolinfa come innovativo parametro fisiologico e biochimico per la valutazione della qualità commerciale e dello stato di benessere dell’astice americano. A tale scopo, sono state effettuate misurazioni del grado° Brix dell’emolinfa di diversi esemplari di astice americano, provenienti da diversi lotti e fornitori nell’arco di cinque mesi. I valori sono poi stati confrontati con i tassi di mortalità rilevati internamente all’azienda sede dello studio, evidenziando l’esistenza di una correlazione pari a -0,412, con un p-value <0,01, indice dell’elevata significatività statistica della relazione. I risultati ottenuti consentono di definire il grado° Brix come indicatore potenzialmente predittivo della vitalità e della resistenza dell’astice alle sollecitazioni ambientali e operative, costituendo un valido supporto per l’industria ittica nella prevenzione dello stress e mortalità tra gli animali, oltre che nel miglioramento della qualità percepita dal consumatore finale.
Misurazione della viscosità dell'emolinfa nell'astice americano: un metodo innovativo per valutare il grado di benessere dei crostacei vivi destinati al consumo umano.
LO CASCIO, GIULIANA
2023/2024
Abstract
The American lobster (Homarus americanus) is a resource of high economic value in international seafood markets, particularly for countries along the Northwestern Atlantic coast, where its fishing and trade are subject to strict regulations. However, the complexity of post-harvest operations, including appropriate storage and transportation, can significantly compromise the vitality and overall quality of lobsters intended for commercial sale, with negative repercussions for the entire sector. In this context, it is crucial to identify new evaluation tools that enable precise and timely monitoring of lobster health throughout the production chain. This thesis aims to investigate the use of haemolymph Brix value as an innovative physiological and biochemical parameter for assessing the commercial quality and welfare status of the American lobster. To achieve this, Brix measurements were taken from the haemolymph of various lobsters, originating from different batches and suppliers over a five-month period. These values were then compared with the mortality rates recorded internally by the company where the study was conducted, revealing a correlation of -0.412, with a p-value < 0.01, indicating high statistical significance. The results obtained suggest that the Brix value may serve as a predictive indicator of lobster vitality and resilience to environmental and operational stress, providing valuable insights for the seafood industry in preventing stress and mortality in lobsters, as well as in improving the quality perceived by the final consumer.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12608/74337