Postmortem autolysis of juvenile sardines during cold storage

Abstract

Postmortem autolysis of juvenile sardines during cold storage hinders the distribution of juvenile sardines for consumption as rawˆsh. In this study, we investigated the changes in total protease activity and types of primary proteases in the whole body of juvenile sardines during cold storage and the eŠect of physical attrition and compression on the body duringˆshing on its autolysis. The juvenile sardines pressed with plates by weight as a pressedˆsh model showed faster autolysis during cold storage. The total protease activity of the body of juvenile sardines increased remarkably corresponding to the temperature during cold storage. The results of the protease inhibitory spectrum suggested that the activation of total protease activity was caused by the autolysis of the precursor of chymotrypsin. Egg white also showed strong inhibitory activity for proteases of autolysis of juvenile sardines.