Effect of Chitin Derived from Crustaceans and Cephalopods on the State of Water in Lizard Fish Myofibrils and Subsequent Denaturation by Dehydration

Abstract

The relationship between the denaturation of fish myofibrils by the addition of chitin, derived from crustaceans and cephalopods, and the state of water by dehydration was studied. The changes in the state of water in myofibrils associated with dehydration were analyzed on the basis of the sorption isotherm curve. The involvement of these changes in the denaturation of myofibrils was investigated with respect to ATPase activity as a parameter.
The addition of chitin resulted in a decrease in water activity and suppressive effects of chitin on the denaturation of myofibrils in the intermediate moisture content of about 15% or more. However, in both cases chitin had no effect below such moisture content. These results suggest that the suppressive effects of chitin occur by the stabilization of the hydrated water that is incorporated between chitin and water in high moisture content surrounding the myofibrils, and such effects are likely to be associated with the physicochemical properties of chitin.