Effects of Vineger-Curing on the Chemical and Physical Properties of the Salmon-Nose-Cartilage

Studies on Utilization of Fish Bone Part I

Abstract

Nose cartilage of chum salmon, which had been stored at-40°C, was thawed and cut into 2mm thick slices, followed by curing in 4% acetic acid solution up to 168 hours. Sensory panel members noticed that the color of cartilage turned into white, its fishy odor disappeared, and the texture became soft and palatable by curing. During curing process, the hardness value measured by a Texturometer and the water holding capacity measured by a centrifugation method decreased. A significant correlation was seen between the hardness and the water holding capacity. pH value of the cartilage lowered rapidly to that (pH3.0) of soaking solution containing acetic acid. A remarkable decrease was shown in the contents of ash and carbohydrate during the curing process. After 168hr of curing, the calcium and mucopolysaccharide contents decreased to half of those of untreated sample. The collagen content was unchanged. From these findings, the softening of the cartilage during the curing process will be explained by the hypothesis that the matrix of cartilage becomes porous and fragile because cations which are responsible for cross-link formation in mucopolysaccharide are replaced by H⁺ ion of acetic acid, and consequently Ca⁺⁺ ion and mucopolysaccharide are released from the matrix.