Degradation of Myofibrillar Proteins
During chilled storage of fish and marine invertebrates, it is
common to notice textural changes before bacterial spoilage. It
is believed that these textural changes are caused by the autolytic
degradation of myofibrillar proteins. This was demonstrated in
ice-stored freshwater prawn (Kye et al. 1988) and in other finfish
(Shewfelt 1980). Analysis of myofibrillar proteins is tedious and
time-consuming using electrophoresis, but it will give a definite
picture of protein degradation.
Collagen Degradation
In the tuna canning industry, it was long recognized that the
appearance of honeycombing in precooked tuna was an index of