Abstract
Sea urchin gonads also known as roe or uni are a high-valued food, considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. To determine the impact of stress caused by exposure of live urchins to air on the subsequent shelf-life of recovered gonads, urchins (Evechinus chloroticus) were held in air at either 4 degrees C for 144 h or 15 degrees C for 72h. The coelomic fluid of urchins held in air showed a decrease in pH and increase in lactic acid concentration, percentage solid, turbidity level, colour and coelomocyte numbers. Gonads recovered from urchins held in air exhibited enhanced rates of deterioration over time, as assessed by a loss of surface definition and a decrease in their water-holding capacity and height-to-surface ratio (melting). Gonad deterioration was minimised by implementing a brine + alum wash upon immediate removal of gonads from live urchins. This research has shown that the manner in which live urchins are held and processed has a dramatic impact on the subsequent shelf-life and quality of the recovered gonads.