Effects of temperature abuse on textural properties and proteolytic activities during post mortem iced storage of farmed Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)

Farmed cod (Gadus morhua) fillets were subjected to a temperature abuse, which caused changes in muscle pH, textural properties and proteolytic pattern early in the post mortem storage period. The temperature abused fillets were less resilient and had lower values of gumminess than those subjected to iced storage throughout the storage period. In addition, the abused fillets were somewhat less cohesive, and had a higher content of small peptides than the iced fillets. From the proteolytic profiles, it is suggested that the textural changes observed after temperature abuse may have been caused by collagenase-like enzymes.