Block meat cut from horse mackerel was cured in 3M NaCl (pH 7.5) in the presence and absence of 5 mM EDTA for 3 hr at 4°C. During drying at 3O"C, changes in the myosin heavy chain and a-(y-glutamyl)lysine isopeptide bonds in the meat were observed. After 20 hr drying, cross-linking of the myosin heavy chain was observed and E-(y-glutamyl)lysine bonds increased eight fold. These changes were inhibited in the presence of EDTA. These results suggested that transglutaminase was probably involved in the cross-linking reaction of the myosin heavy chain in the manufacture of dried fish ("Himono" in Japan).

No abstract