POSTMORTEM BIOCHEMICAL AND TEXTURAL CHANGES IN THE ADDUCTOR MUSCLE OF CATARINA SCALLOP STORED AT 0C

Postmortem characteristics of the adductor muscle of the Catarina scallop were evaluated for biochemical, chemical and textural changes during a 15-day storage period in ice (0C). K-value, pH, nitrogen of trimethylamine (TMA-N), nitrogen of total volatile bases (TVB-N), water-holding capacity (WHC), color and texture changes were monitored. K value increased linearly from an initial value of 20.5 to 68.5% at day 15. Spoilage indicators TVB-N and TMA-N (mg/100 g) increased from 13.5 and 2.6 to 21.4 and 3.4, respectively. However, they remained below critical limits, suggesting low microbial activity. In contrast, texture, pH, WHC, and color were not affected. Overall results indicated that the quality of iced Catarina scallop adductor muscle packed in ice was maintained over a period of 15 days.