Crab shells polvoron

By Dr. Dolores DG. Fernandez
Chief SRS, PCAMRD

Crabs are relished for their taste and texture. Low in fat and high in protein, crabs are excellent sources of minerals.

The crab’s body is covered with a chitinous shell or carapace. This crab cover is simply thrown away.

Professor Viden V. Elpos of the Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College in Concepcion, Iloilo conducted a study on the acceptability of polvoron made from the carapace of different crab species the blue crab (Portunus pelagicus), sand crab (Ovalipes ocellatus), kurusan, and mudcrab (Scylla serrata). The study also tried to find out what crab species made into polvoron has the most acceptable color, flavor, odor, and texture; and determine the polvoron mixture with the highest rate of return or profit.

The imaginative study involved soaking of crab carapace in clean freshwater for 10 minutes, then drained and dried for 10 days for easy pounding and grinding. The fine crab carapace flour was weighed, measured, and placed in a mixing bowl and set ready for toasting. All other dry ingredients were weighed, measured, strained, and placed separately in another container.

Toasted crab carapace flour and all-purpose flour were mixed in a bowl. Other ingredients were then added in a butter solution to avoid curdling and mixed using a ladle. After mixing, the mixture was reheated under moderate heat for 30 minutes until well done. The mixture was cooled, molded, wrapped, packed, arranged, and labeled according to treatments such as A (blue crab), B (sand crab), C (kurusan), and D (mudcrab).

Thirty trained panelists composed of students, teachers, and housewives conducted sensory evaluation of the products. Using descriptive statistics of weighted mean and analysis of variance or ANOVA, the differences in color, flavor, odor, and texture of the polvoron prepared from carapace of different crab species were determined.

Results showed that the polvoron made from blue crab carapace had the most acceptable color and flavor followed by sand crab, mudcrab, and kurusan. As to odor, polvoron from the carapace of the blue crab was most acceptable followed by sand crab, kurusan, and mudcrab.

The acceptability of the crab carapace polvoron was also rated based on the uniformity of grain, dryness or moisture, and compressibility. A highly acceptable polvoron from blue crab carapace had fine grain, modified appearance, and less porous.

The results, however, showed that there were no significant differences in the acceptability of the crab carapace polvoron in terms of color, odor, flavor, and texture, among the different crab species.

With a selling price of P1.25 per piece, the polvoron prepared from mudcrab and blue crab carapace had higher ROR compared to the other crab species. The Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development monitored the study.