Karun Thongprajukeaw

pp. 615 - 622

Abstract

The effects of different preparation methods (boiling, microwave irradiation, oven-drying, soaking, and sun-drying)
for improving the protein quality of shrimp waste (SW) when used as aqua feedstuff were observed. The findings from this
study indicate that microwave irradiation maintained both the chemical composition and total carotenoid concentration of
the SW. This method controlled the appropriate physicochemical characteristics thus promoting proteolytic digestion, as
indicated by measurement of changes in pH, water solubility, microstructures, and thermal transition. The protein digestibility based on the use of digestive enzymes from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) also increased after preparation with
microwave irradiation. Based on this study, improvement in the protein quality in SW may be achieved by microwave
irradiation and this method may be used as an alternative method for preparing aqua feedstuff.