Valorization of the Invasive Gastropod Rapana venosa Through Cold Marination and Vacuum Packaging: Quality...

Rapana venosa, an ecologically invasive yet commercially valuable gastropod species, represents a promising raw material for value-added seafood products. In this study, boiled R. venosa meat was cold-marinated using two formulations (3.8% acetic acid + 5% salt and 3.9% acetic acid + 8% salt), vacuum-packaged with sunflower oil, and stored at 4°C for 11 months. Total viable counts, psychrotrophic bacteria, and coliforms remained below the detection limit (< 10 cfu/g) throughout storage. pH increased significantly from 3.88 to 4.92 (A) and 3.76 to 4.45 (B) (p < 0.05). TVB-N rose to 19.43 (A) and 17.69 (B) mg N/100 g, well below the 30-35 mg N/100 g spoilage threshold, with Sample B accumulating significantly less (p < 0.05). Free fatty acids reached 14.11% (A) and 16.27% (B) and TBA reached 1.65 and 1.76 mg MDA/kg, whereas peroxide value stayed low and stable (0.41-0.62 meq O₂/kg). Sensory acceptability declined but stayed above the threshold (3.50 for A, 3.25 for B at Month 11; p < 0.05). Marination markedly altered the fatty acid profile: raw meat was rich in EPA (6.07%) and DHA (19.26%), whereas marinated samples were dominated by linoleic (~56%) and oleic (~31%) acids, with n-3 PUFAs reduced to ~0.3%, reflecting dilution by sunflower oil rather than oxidative degradation. Overall, cold marination with vacuum packaging and oil preservation ensured microbial safety, maintained acceptable sensory quality, and extended refrigerated shelf life to 11 months, supporting valorization of R. venosa as a ready-to-eat product.