Effect of Drying on the Rehydration Properties of Some Selected Shellfish

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of oven drying on the proximate composition and rehydration characteristics of shellfish. Shellfish studied included rough and smooth periwinkle, oyster and whelk. Proximate composition of the fresh samples were determined. Then dried in the oven to a moisture content of 10% and further rehydrated with distill water in sample water ratio of 1:40 and allowed to equilibrate. Proximate composition of the fresh shellfish showed that moisture content ranged from 82.38 to 69.24% with fresh smooth periwinkle having the highest moisture value while whelk had the lowest. The results also showed that whelk had the highest values for ash (2.92%), crude protein (18.83%) and crude fibre (3.71%) when compared to other samples. On rehydration, a moisture loss of 11.75%, 13.28%, 19.24% and 22.04% were observed for rough periwinkle, smooth periwinkle, oyster and whelk, respectively. The results for rehydration indices revealed that dehydration ratio was significantly (p<0.05) high for whelk (1.44), followed by oyster (1.29), rough periwinkle (1.23) and lastly, smooth periwinkle 1.20. Rehydration ratio of whelk (1.47) was equally significantly higher, followed by oyster (1.33) and the least were rough and smooth periwinkle (1.17). For coefficient of reconstitution, oyster recorded the highest value of 1.03, followed by whelk 1.02, rough periwinkle 0.95 and smooth periwinkle 0.98. Rate of water imbibition revealed a sharp increase in the water content of smooth periwinkle up to 240 min and thereafter, it slowed down until equilibrium was reached. In terms of rough periwinkle, oyster and whelk; water imbibition took place with rehydration time up to 300 min, 210 min and 270 min, respectively, thereafter they slowed down. The results have demonstrated that the rate in which oven drying affect the physical and nutritional qualities of shellfish differs.