Sureeporn Kangsanant, Manee Vittayanont, and Chakree Thongraung

pp. 11 - 17

Abstract

The mechanical properties of cleaned cuttlefish mantle (Sepia brevimana) before and after spinning in cold salt solution were characterized by tensile and shear test. The objective was to relate the physical changes of the cuttlefish mantle to the composition and microstructure changes mediated by spinning in 5 % (w/v) NaCl solution at 0-(-5)°C for 10 min. Textural difference between outer and inner surface of the cleaned mantle was revealed by the tensile force applied to transverse direction of the longitudinal axis of the mantle. Shear test was found suitable to highlight textural modification due to the spinning. It was found that the operation increased the mantle total weight and caused mantle curvature and hardening. These changes were concomitant with an increase of the mantle moisture and salt content at specific layers in the mantle. Microstructure of the mantle obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed both expanded and packed fibers depending on their position. The results suggested that modification of the mantle texture due to spinning in the cold NaCl solution was a complex process coupled with changes in chemical composition and microstructure.