Trials for keep the fish muscle quality during chilled storage

Abstract

Destruction of spinal cord and bleeding at death were tried to keep the fish muscle freshness. In case of yellowtail and red sea bream, the sample whose spinal cord was destroyed (tested) showed the delay in onset of rigor mortis compared with the control sample. On the other hand, in case of plaice, the tested sample attained full-rigor faster than the control. Rate of ATP consumption was slower in the tested than the control in yellowtail and red sea bream, except for plaice. On the other hand, bleeding caused the delay of muscle softening in the pelagic fish, but not in the demersal fish. Transmission electron microscopy showed the delay of degradation of pericellular collagen fibrils in bled pelagic fish. These results indicate that destruction of spinal cord and removal of blood have different effects for keeping the fish muscle quality. © 2002, The Japanese Society of Fisheries Science. All rights reserved.