Shelf-life Prediction Modeling and Physicochemical Changes of Canned African Giant Snail (Achachatina achatina) Based Products during Storage Using Sensory and Kinetic Data

Canned African giant snails (brine, egusi and sauce) of low acidity (pH 4.5) were produced using Thermal Death Time (TDT) techniques. Sixty cans of each product were stored for 6 months at normal temperature (30oC). The physicochemical and sensory properties of these products were evaluated monthly. And also, 28 cans of each product were equally evaluated at accelerated storage temperatures stress (50, 60, 70 & 80oC) for 6 weeks. Changes in pH and overall acceptability were described by first and second order kinetics respectively. The extent of proteolysis, peroxidase activities, and extent of fat hydrolysis i.e peroxide and thiobabituric acid values did not change significantly (P > 0.05) during storage. Regression analysis was used to fit models for Gibbs free energy of activation for physicochemical changes as a function of temperature and to predict models for overall acceptability as a function of pH. Shelf-life prediction models were fitted based on sensory and pH kinetic data. Shelf-lives of 27.6 months, 27-25 months and 18-16.8 months were estimated for snail in brine (SIB) snail in egusi (SES) and snail in sauce (SIS) respectively during storage at 30OC.