Initial changes in ATP equivalents in the post-mortem muscles of three species of lobster

Abstract

Changes in the content of ATP, phosphoarginine (PA), and lactic acid (Lac) were determined in the muscles of three species of lobster during storage at 0, 5, and 10°C. The ATP equivalent (Eq) of each species was calculated to evaluate the initial degradation of ATP in the postmortem stage. Both ATP and PA decreased simultaneously with Lac accumulation in the muscle of every lobster. The contents of the three components in Japanese spiny lobster changed slowly at 0 and 5°C and rapidly at 10°C. In the case of rock lobster, the changes at 0°C were slowest, followed by 5°C, and those at 10°C were fastest. In contrast, the changes in the three components of American lobster muscle exhibited less dependency on the temperatures. The decreases in Eq at 0, 5, and 10°C for American lobster were largest of the three species. The change in Eq in the initial 24 h was larger than that in the second 24 h for every lobster. It is suggested that each species of lobster had its own relationship between the storage temperature and the rate of ATP production, and degradation.