Abstract
In the lowering of freshness of tail meat of a whale (Balaenoptera) at room temperature, it was found that the amount of volatile basic nitrogen and Formol titrated nigrogen both increase regularly with passage of time and the rate of increase was great. The increse of non-protein nitrogen and trimethyl amine nitrogen was comparatively small and no change was observed in the amount of trimethyl amine-oxide nitrogen. At the beginning of putrefaction amount of volatile basic N per 100g sample was 30.2mg, nonprotein N 500mg; Formol titrated N 136mg; and trimethyl amine N 0.45mg. A comparison of percentage freshness and the amounts of volatile basic N and Formol titrated N at the time of the dissection of a sperm whale, showed that both N gradually but distincly increase with the lowering of freshness between 90%-70% freshness but below 70%, the amount of volatile basic N increases rapidly. As a result of these experiments it has been shown that the freshness of a whale meat could be evaluated by the determination of volatile basic N or Formol titrated N.
