The impact of ultra-high pressure processing on crayfish tropomyosin allergenicity and microstructure preservation: Insights into texture and flavors.

This study investigated the effectiveness of ultra-high pressure (UHP) processing in reducing the allergenicity of crayfish tropomyosin (TM). TM content significantly decreased after UHP treatment (from 151.72 to 94.15 μg/mL with increasing UHP strength; from 37.00 to 18.52 μg/mL with prolonged UHP duration). Additionally, conformational properties were altered. In a BALB/c mouse model, allergic sensitization was effectively reduced by UHP treatment, as indicated by decreased IgE (from 8.36 to 4.33 μg/mL), IgG1 (from 214.02 to 84.41 μg/mL), histamine (from 10.21 to 6.01 ng/mL), mMCP-1 (from 16.95 to 7.95 pg/mL), and improved organ damage. The quality of crayfish muscle remained intact after UHP treatment. GC-IMS and electronic nose analyses confirmed that volatile flavor compounds were preserved. These results demonstrate that UHP processing effectively reduces TM immunogenicity in crayfish while maintaining structural and sensory qualities, providing a promising method for producing hypoallergenic crustacean products.