The impact of crucial protein degradation in intramuscular connective tissue on softening of ice‐stored grass carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella ) fillets

Texture maintenance and degradation mechanism of ice-stored grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella): A scope of intramuscular connective tissue

Although intramuscular connective tissue (IMCT) is low in fish, its impact on texture cannot be ignored due to its special location. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the contribution of IMCT degradation to fish softening and its mechanism induced by endogenous proteases. Results showed that IMCT honeycomb-like structure collapsed entirely on the 10th day of ice storage, along with a decrease of shear force by 36.5%. Meanwhile, IMCT and myofibrils (MF) degradation accelerated softening by 25.1% and 15.3% during 10 days of ice storage, respectively. Next, IMCT deterioration was indicated to be highly correlated with decorin degradation (0.956**), followed by elastin (0.928**) and collagen (0.904**). Ulteriorly, endogenous collagenase was shown to degrade IMCT crucial components, while endogenous cathepsins had little effect. In conclusion, this study confirmed that IMCT played an essential role in maintaining fish texture and was mainly degraded by endogenous collagenase.

The Effects of Malonaldehyde on Quality Characteristics and Protein Oxidation of Coregonus peled (Coregonuspeled) during Storage

The effects of changes in the malondialdehyde (MDA) content on the quality of fish during the low-temperature storage period are unclear. Therefore, the effects of the MDA content on Coregonus peled quality and protein changes were investigated following storage under refrigeration (4 °C) and super chilling (-3 °C) for 15 days (d). The results showed that the MDA content continued to increase during storage and that the highest content was produced at 1.42 mg/kg during refrigeration. The fillet pH, drip loss, texture (hardness and elasticity), and myofibril fragmentation index deteriorated significantly during the storage period. Increased oxidation of the myofibrillar protein (MP) was observed in the 15 d storage period, and the MP carbonyl content was 1.19 times higher under refrigeration than in super chilling, while the protein α-helix structure decreased by 12.48% and 12.20% under refrigeration and super chilling, respectively. Electropherograms also showed that myosin degradation was particularly severe in the refrigeration storage period of 15 d. Overall, the MDA formed at the refrigeration and super chilling storage temperatures could promote structural changes in, and the oxidative degradation of, proteins to different degrees, leading to the deterioration of the fillet quality. This study provides a scientific basis for investigating the relationship between fish quality and changes in the MDA content during low-temperature storage.

Apoptosis Inducing Factors Involved in the Changes of Flesh Quality in Postmortem Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) Muscle

Alterations of apoptosis have notable influences on flesh quality, but the mechanism is still unclear. Thus, apoptotic behaviors and related triggering mechanisms need to be explored. Fish muscle was prepared and stored at 4 °C for 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h for apoptosis analysis. Results showed that positive apoptotic nuclei were positively correlated with drop loss and negatively correlated with shear force and water holding capacity (p < 0.05). Results showed that the triggering apoptotic mechanisms were involved with enhanced transcriptional levels of caspase-2, 3, 7, 8, and 9 through mitochondria and death receptor pathways in the muscle of grass carp. The decreased ATP content, changed cytochrome c redox state, increased protein levels of HSP27 and HSP 90, and enhanced activity of cathepsin (B, L, and D), calpain, and serine proteinase were involved in apoptosis activations. Results indicated that caspases, energy metabolism, cytochrome c redox state, heat shock protein expressions, and protease activities played critical roles in apoptosis alterations in carp muscle during refrigerated storage.

Assessment of gelatinolytic proteinases in chilled grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) fillets: characterization and contribution to texture softening

BACKGROUND

Texture softening is always a problem during chilling of grass carp fillets. To solve this problem and provide for better quality of flesh, understanding the mechanism of softening is necessary. Gelatinolytic proteinases are suspected to play an essential role in the disintegration of collagen in softening of fish flesh. In the present study, the types and contribution of gelatinolytic proteinases in chilled fillets were investigated.

RESULTS

Four active bands (G1, 250 kDa; G2, 68 kDa; G3, 66 kDa; G4, 29 kDa) of gelatinolytic proteinases were identified in grass carp fillets by gelatin zymography. The effect of inhibitors and metal ions revealed that G1 was possibly a serine proteinase, G2 and G3 were calcium-dependent metalloproteinases and G4 was a cysteine proteinase. The effect of the inhibitors phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), l-3-carboxy-trans-2,3-epoxy-propionyl-l-leucine-4-guanidinobutylamide (E-64) and 1,10-phenanthroline (Phen) on chilled fillets revealed that gelatinolytic proteinase activities were significantly suppressed. Collagen solubility indicated that metalloproteinase and serine proteinase played critical roles in collagen breakdown during the first 3 days, and cysteine proteinase revealed its effect after 3 days. Meanwhile, during chilled storage for 11 days, the final values of shear force increased 19.68% and 24.33% in PMSF and E-64 treatments when compared to control fillets respectively, whereas the increase after Phen treatment was 49.89%.

CONCLUSION

Our study concluded that the disintegration of collagen in post-mortem softening of grass carp fillets was mainly mediated by metalloproteinase and to a lesser extent by serine proteinase and cysteine proteinase. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.