Crabs belong
to the arthopods group. They have a shell which
provide skeletal support for their body. Crabs
many times during their life time go through
a process called moulting, where they shed their
old shells and grow a new one. Moulting takes
place many times though the frequency decreases
with time.
The crab forms
a basic 'template' of a new shell beneath its
old one just before moulting. The old shell
becomes flexible as calcium is absorbed from
it. This old shell at the back of the crab splits
and the crab backs out of this old skeleton
including the eye stalk and the gill covering.
The soft shell
crab now is extremely vulnerable and for the
net few days remains buried in sediment till
the new shell expands and begins to harden.
In a few days time, this soft shell crab becomes
a voracious eater. Muscle tissue builds up and
the shell continues to harden in the next two
or three months. At this time, the soft shell
crab if captured, the shell will be damaged.
The most definite
test for identifying a soft shell crab is the
pinch test. During the pinch test, if the shell
bends then the crab should be returned to the
water. If the shell does not flex or bend, then
the crab is hard enough to cook and eat i.e.
the crab is of legal size.
After successful
moulting, the new shell of the crab is extremely
soft. When the crab shows signs of moulting,
peeler crabs are placed in tanks until they
moult and becomes soft. Crabs have to be checked
many times a day so that they can be removed
immediately after they moult. Otherwise they
will be eaten by other crabs. The live of crabs
are refrigerated in waxed boxes till packing.
They are sorted according to their size, placed
in waxed boxes containing damp seaweed. Only
then are these soft crabs ready for shipment.
America's favorite
seafood delicacy is the soft shelled crab. All
crabs can not be eaten in this form. The blue
crab is the only commercially available soft
shell product. Poetically, the blue crab is
called the beautiful, savory, swimmer.
In 12-18 months,
the blue crab grows rather quickly. A fully-grown
blue crab measures nearly 8 inches across. The
body of the crab has to grow 30% for the blue
crab to lose it shell. As and when the blue
crab is expected to shed, the commercial crabber
harvests it and places it in floating tanks.
There is a faint line next to the crab's backfin.
The color of this line tells us when the crab
is about to shed its shell. When the line on
the backfin is white, the crab will shed its
shell in approximately 7-10 days. If the line
is pink, the crab is likely to shed its shell
within 2 days. And if the line is red, the crab
will be shedding its shell anytime now.
Soft shelled
crabs come in 5 basic sizes: Whales, Jumbos,
Primes, Hotels and Mediums. They are shipped
live and sold as fresh. Generally these crabs
perish in transit but the strong and hearty
ones arrive live. Blue crabs die mainly due
to motion and heat. The crabs should be checked
for freshness. If they have a distinct ammonia
odor, they should not be served. Firmness and
texture are measures of freshness.
Cool and moist
packaging is necessary to store a soft shell
crab. The moisture can be retained by using
wet newspaper and straw. If storing is done
in 50 degree temperature, the crab will remain
live. To keep the crab fresh, standard coolers
of 36 degrees is enough. The shelf life of soft
shell crabs is 5-6 days which include shipping
and processing time. Soft shell crabs can be
dressed and frozen for eating later.
Thailand and
Vietnam are major producers of soft shell crabs.
Soft shell crabs if handled carefully can be
a quality product. This is a delicacy and if
prepared well it can satisfy all kinds of tastebuds.
For price
quotes and any further information, feel free
to call us today at:
Siam
Canadian Foods Co., Ltd.
9th Floor, Suite 283/44, Home Place Office Building.
283 Thonglor 13, Sukhumvit 55
Kongton Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110,
THAILAND
Call us at +66-2-185-3311
Fax: +66-2-185-3317
Email us at info@siamcanadian.com
