Transactions of the Japan Society of Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers
Online ISSN : 2185-789X
Print ISSN : 1344-4905
ISSN-L : 1344-4905
Papers
Biological Metabolism of Frozen Whale Meat at Subzero Temperatures in Relation to Thaw Rigor
Hideto FUKUSHIMANaho NAKAZAWAKoki YAMADAMasahiro MATSUMIYARitsuko WADAToshimichi MAEDA
Author information
JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2018 Volume 35 Issue 2 Pages 135-

Details
Abstract

In many cases, frozen whale meat in the Japanese market is prepared before rigor mortis (pre-rigor). A serious problem for frozen whale meat is the occurrence of thaw rigor, which is the strong development of rigor mortis during thawing. To prepare frozen whale meat without thaw rigor and maintain a high meat pH, the temporal changes in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) contents of frozen meat stored at -2.5, -5.0, -7.5, and -10°C were investigated. The rate of decrease of ATP was higher than that of NAD at all storage temperatures. ATP nearly disappeared after holding the meat at -2.5°C for a few days; however, NAD existed yet, so pH decreased thereafter. ATP levels were maintained for a long period at a temperature of -5.0 to -10°C, resulting in the occurrence of thaw rigor. Compared to the muscles of fish such as tuna, the rates of decrease of ATP and NAD were extremely slow in whale meat.

Content from these authors
© 2018 Japan Society of Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers
Previous article
feedback
Top