Nutritional Value and Processing of Crayfish

Introduction

Crayfish is one of the richest food ingredients that must be added to a food. If you a rich, you must add crayfish and same thing goes for the poor. No matter how bad it is for any family, it is believed that an average family can afford crayfish.

Cray fish are tiny fishes that a caught from the sea. Its processing is similar to that of dried fish processing however, they are different.

If you cannot afford meat/chicken but can afford crayfish, most of the nutrients you need in a chicken can also be gotten from a crayfish.

Crayfishes are rich in protein. If you can't afford a decent meat, ensure that you put enough crayfish in your food that is sufficient enough to give the protein you need from chicken. The protein you derive from the crayfish can help in the repair of worn-out tissues in your body system.

If you can't afford meat, you can continue using crayfish till things stabilize. Never you for any reason do more than yourself or consider to steal. One day, God will bless you and you will then be able to afford as much meat as you ever wanted in your food.

Nutritional Value of Crayfish

There are lots of nutritional values linked to crayfishes however, we will discuss few of them. Some of the nutritional values found in crayfishes are thus;

1) Vitamin B12

Crayfish are very rich in vitamins. The major vitamin that is found in a crayfish is the vitamin B12. The vitamin B12 that you will derive from crayfish will help in the formation of the red blood cell in your body system. Red blood cell is very essential in your body. That's why it is advised that you always eat healthy so as to replenish all that you lose in a daily.

2) Minerals

Another nutrient that you get from crayfish is minerals. The two major minerals derived from crayfish are phosphorus and copper. There are more minerals associated with crayfish like iron, zinc and calcium. These minerals help in energy production and bone health among others.

3) Fat

Crayfish also contains fat but in a very minimal quantity.

There are other nutritional values associated with crayfish that you cannot skip having in your system. Sometimes, it is even better to have crayfish in your food and not meat than to have a meat in your food without a crayfish.

Need i also remind you that as you advance in age, you are advised to remove red meat from your food. You can switch to chicken or better still make do with crayfish.

Some people see having only crayfish in your food to be a poor man food however, that's a big lie. Have you cooked a crayfish rich food before, where crayfish dominates in the food? If you try that, you will agree with me that cooking with crayfish does not mean that you are poor or cannot afford a meat. It can just be your choice.

To an extent, there is some level of vitamin D found in cray fish which is key in the nutrients you need in your body.

How to Process Crayfish

When it comes to processing, you might probably think that crayfish is prepared the same way that dried fish are prepared but that's not the truth. Crayfish are actually cooked unlike dried fish that is dried and kept dry.

If you want to process crayfish yourself or you just want to learn how it is done, then learn more below.

1) Purging

The first step is to purge the crayfish. In this stage, the crayfish are held inside the water to remove/empty their tracts. This stage ultimately play a great role in making the sorting of the crayfishes to be easier.

2) Sorting

The second stage is the sorting stage where the undersized crayfishes are removed entirely or moved to another set. At this stage, you will remove leaves, stones, sands or any unwanted particles found to be in conjunction with the entire crayfish. At this stage, the bigger crayfishes will be made to be in a set while smaller crayfishes are moved to a different set. This sorting stage can also be known as the selection stage because it involves selection of big crayfishes out of the smaller crayfishes.

3) Washing

You have removed the tracts and you have done the sorting of the crayfishes. In the process of separating the bigger crayfishes from the smaller crayfishes, you must have dirtied the body of the sorted crayfishes. The next step you must take is to wash the crayfishes. Even if you have done a casual washing before, there will still be need to do the washing again to make them cleaner. Washing help rinse the crayfishes and then remove dirt's, impurities or muds. Washing the crayfishes makes them ready for the next stage.

4) Boiling

Third stage is the boiling stage. The boiling is normally done for a short period of time. Boiling is essential for 3 major reasons thus;

i) To kill the microorganism in the crayfishes'

ii) To improve the color of the crayfishes.

iii) To enhance the texture of the crayfishes.

While boiling, you can add a small amount of salt to the crayfishes. Another name for this boiling is parboiling stage.

5) Cooling

After the fourth stage, the next stage is the cooling stage. This stage normally involves the rapid cooling of the boiled crayfishes. This is basically done by soaking in the water and then spread out to cool further. This cooling normally helps to prevent overcooking of the crayfishes and also prepare them for freezing.

6) Freezing

The next stage after the cooling stage is the freezing stage. This freezing stage can also be known as the drying stage. This stage can help to tighten the texture due to ice crystal formation. This stage should probably be the last stage however, if you want to know how long the crayfish can last before it begins to spoil, you can decide to use some life span prediction models on the crayfish.

The main purpose of this stage is to reduce the moisture in the crayfish and as such, help to increase the life-span of the crayfishes. If you have plans of using the crayfishes for a short time, this stage can be the last stage of the processing however; if you have plans or using the crayfish for a long time or plans of exporting the processed crayfishes, then consider the next stages below.

7) Packaging and Storage

At this stage, you need to first package in an airtight container or nylon bag and then store in a cool and dry place. You will need to avoid moisture from touching the crayfishes. Note that proper packaging and storage helps increase the life-span of the crayfishes.

Fig 1: Fully processed crayfish

At this point, your crayfish is fully processed and ready for consumption. It is now left for you to either eat or export your processed crayfish.

Health Benefits of Crayfish

There are lots of health benefits associated with crayfish. No wonder it is almost a must ingredient needed in almost all the food you prepare. Some of the health benefits are;

1) The protein content of crayfishes supports the growth and repair of the muscles in the body. It also helps in the repair of worn-out tissues and the building of new tissues.

2) The omega 3 fatty acids in crayfishes helps support the good circulation of cholesterol level in the body.

3) The vitamin 12 in crayfishes helps in your concentration level and cognition as well as support the proper function of the nerves in the body.

4) The zinc present in crayfishes helps to fight against infections and diseases as well as the faster healing of a wound on the body.

5) The calcium in crayfishes helps to strengthen the bones and also fight against any bone-related issues.

6) The iron present in crayfishes helps to improve the transportation and circulation of oxygen in the body. The iron in crayfishes also helps to prevent anemia. Anemia occurs when there is few amounts of healthy red blood cell in the body.

7) Crayfishes contains B vitamins which are essential for the conversion of food into usable energy as well as help reduce fatigue in the body.

Everything You Need to Know About Crayfish Nutritional Value, Health Benefits and Processing Guide

Nutritional Value and Processing of Crayfish