Pre-mortem stress and the subsequent effect on flesh quality of pre-rigor filleted Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) during ice storage

Food Chem. 2015 May 15:175:157-65. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.11.111. Epub 2014 Nov 25.

Abstract

The impact of pre-mortem stress and the subsequent effect on flesh quality of pre-rigor filleted Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) was investigated. Market-sized salmon were sampled before or during crowding, and before and after pumping and live chilling, representing accumulating stress and fatigue. Blood parameters (pH, Na(+), iCa, pCO2, pO2, glucose, Hct, lactate) and muscle pH confirm a stepwise increase of stress, depending on whether the fish were uncrowded (control), just crowded, uncrowded and chilled or crowded and chilled. Drip loss, water-holding capacity (WHC) and muscle pH during ice storage were not affected by pre-slaughtering conditions. However, a significant effect of storage time was observed. Significantly lowest firmness (N) was observed in crowded and chilled salmon whereas the cathepsin L activity was found to be significantly affected by crowding, live chilling and storage time. Moreover, small effects were observed regarding colour and contents of free amino acids.

Keywords: Atlantic salmon; Cathepsin activity; Drip loss; Protein denaturation; Stress; Texture.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / analysis
  • Animals
  • Calorimetry, Differential Scanning
  • Cathepsin B / analysis
  • Cathepsin L / analysis
  • Food Preservation / methods*
  • Food Quality*
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Ice
  • Muscles / chemistry
  • Salmo salar / physiology*
  • Seafood*
  • Stress, Physiological*
  • Time Factors
  • Water

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Ice
  • Water
  • Cathepsin B
  • Cathepsin L