Effects of boiling, centrifuging and drying methods on bioactive compounds in Antarctic krill meal.

This article investigates the effects of boiling, centrifuging, and various drying methods—vacuum freeze-drying (VFD), vacuum drying (VD), hot-air drying (HAD), and microwave drying (MWD)—on the bioactive compounds in Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) meal. The study found that drying had the greatest impact on nutrient degradation, notably reducing phospholipids, α-tocopherol (vitamin E), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), while increasing lipid oxidation as measured by thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS). Among drying techniques, HAD caused the most severe lipid oxidation, whereas VD and VFD better preserved bioactive compounds and lipid quality, with VD showing particular advantages in maintaining astaxanthin isomers and antioxidant levels. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) identified 13 key bioactive compounds, including 13-cis-astaxanthin and α-tocopherol, as indicators of krill meal quality, highlighting the critical role of drying methods in processing outcomes.