Micronization of Low-Salinity Baltic Sea Blue Mussels: Enhancing Whole-Biomass Utilization and Nutritional Viability

The micronization of low-salinity Baltic Sea blue mussels (<i>Mytilus edulis</i>/<i>trossulus</i>) was investigated as a novel valorisation pathway to eliminate the need for labor-intensive meat–shell separation. The small size of Baltic mussels poses a challenge for traditio...

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Main Authors: Indrek Adler, Jonne Kotta, Kristel Vene
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Fishes
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/5/199
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author Indrek Adler
Jonne Kotta
Kristel Vene
author_facet Indrek Adler
Jonne Kotta
Kristel Vene
author_sort Indrek Adler
collection DOAJ
description The micronization of low-salinity Baltic Sea blue mussels (<i>Mytilus edulis</i>/<i>trossulus</i>) was investigated as a novel valorisation pathway to eliminate the need for labor-intensive meat–shell separation. The small size of Baltic mussels poses a challenge for traditional meat–shell separation. This study investigates micronization as an alternative processing approach to enhance biomass utilization while preserving functional and nutritional properties. This study assessed the feasibility of whole-mussel micronization, focusing on its impact on particle size distribution, grittiness, and the potential separation of meat and shell fractions post-processing. The results demonstrated that micronization at 4000 rpm resulted in a fine powder (<63 µm), significantly reducing grittiness. However, mild chalkiness was observed at higher concentrations (4% solution), highlighting the need for formulation adjustments. While it was expected to facilitate the separation of soft tissue from shell material, the results indicated that this remained impractical due to structural or compositional similarities at finer scales. A sensory evaluation of the whole-mussel powder assessed its texture and palatability, revealing its potential suitability for functional food applications. The findings highlight the potential of micronization as a resource-efficient and scalable processing method, enhancing the economic and environmental value of Baltic mussels in the food industry.
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spelling doaj-art-4e4071b88fa14ae2ab52d1d3a06ae4e12025-08-20T03:47:54ZengMDPI AGFishes2410-38882025-04-0110519910.3390/fishes10050199Micronization of Low-Salinity Baltic Sea Blue Mussels: Enhancing Whole-Biomass Utilization and Nutritional ViabilityIndrek Adler0Jonne Kotta1Kristel Vene2Estonian Maritime Academy, Tallinn University of Technology, Kopli 101, 11712 Tallinn, EstoniaEstonian Maritime Academy, Tallinn University of Technology, Kopli 101, 11712 Tallinn, EstoniaSchool of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, 12618 Tallinn, EstoniaThe micronization of low-salinity Baltic Sea blue mussels (<i>Mytilus edulis</i>/<i>trossulus</i>) was investigated as a novel valorisation pathway to eliminate the need for labor-intensive meat–shell separation. The small size of Baltic mussels poses a challenge for traditional meat–shell separation. This study investigates micronization as an alternative processing approach to enhance biomass utilization while preserving functional and nutritional properties. This study assessed the feasibility of whole-mussel micronization, focusing on its impact on particle size distribution, grittiness, and the potential separation of meat and shell fractions post-processing. The results demonstrated that micronization at 4000 rpm resulted in a fine powder (<63 µm), significantly reducing grittiness. However, mild chalkiness was observed at higher concentrations (4% solution), highlighting the need for formulation adjustments. While it was expected to facilitate the separation of soft tissue from shell material, the results indicated that this remained impractical due to structural or compositional similarities at finer scales. A sensory evaluation of the whole-mussel powder assessed its texture and palatability, revealing its potential suitability for functional food applications. The findings highlight the potential of micronization as a resource-efficient and scalable processing method, enhancing the economic and environmental value of Baltic mussels in the food industry.https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/5/199Baltic blue musselsmicronizationdried seafood powderssensory evaluationmicrobiological safetyfunctional food ingredients
spellingShingle Indrek Adler
Jonne Kotta
Kristel Vene
Micronization of Low-Salinity Baltic Sea Blue Mussels: Enhancing Whole-Biomass Utilization and Nutritional Viability
Fishes
Baltic blue mussels
micronization
dried seafood powders
sensory evaluation
microbiological safety
functional food ingredients
title Micronization of Low-Salinity Baltic Sea Blue Mussels: Enhancing Whole-Biomass Utilization and Nutritional Viability
title_full Micronization of Low-Salinity Baltic Sea Blue Mussels: Enhancing Whole-Biomass Utilization and Nutritional Viability
title_fullStr Micronization of Low-Salinity Baltic Sea Blue Mussels: Enhancing Whole-Biomass Utilization and Nutritional Viability
title_full_unstemmed Micronization of Low-Salinity Baltic Sea Blue Mussels: Enhancing Whole-Biomass Utilization and Nutritional Viability
title_short Micronization of Low-Salinity Baltic Sea Blue Mussels: Enhancing Whole-Biomass Utilization and Nutritional Viability
title_sort micronization of low salinity baltic sea blue mussels enhancing whole biomass utilization and nutritional viability
topic Baltic blue mussels
micronization
dried seafood powders
sensory evaluation
microbiological safety
functional food ingredients
url https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/5/199
work_keys_str_mv AT indrekadler micronizationoflowsalinitybalticseabluemusselsenhancingwholebiomassutilizationandnutritionalviability
AT jonnekotta micronizationoflowsalinitybalticseabluemusselsenhancingwholebiomassutilizationandnutritionalviability
AT kristelvene micronizationoflowsalinitybalticseabluemusselsenhancingwholebiomassutilizationandnutritionalviability