[Protein denaturation in frozen fish]

To inhibit the rapid deterioration of the production-technological properties of fish meat minced and frozen on board, it is necessary to become acquainted with the causes of protein denaturation under these conditions. It was found that the protein solubility in codfish is impaired by formaldehyde which develops from trimethyl-amine oxide during storage and also by the salt content. After 7 days at -20 degrees C, the solubility of the sarcoplasmic and myofibrillary proteins in minced fish meat added with 80 mg of formaldehyde per 100 g of total protein amounted to almost 70% and 35%, respectively, of the value determined in controls, i.e., samples without formaldehyde. After this period of storage, only 30% of the added formaldehyde were in the free state. After 1 month, the solubility of the myofibrillary proteins in waterleached fish meat was by 30% higher than in unleached controls, 80 mg of formaldehyde per 100 mg of total protein having been added in both cases. After 1 month at -5 degrees C and -20 degrees C, only 90 and 15 p.p.m. of formaldehyde, respectively, were found in minced fish meat, whereas leached samples contained no formaldehyde. The solubility of the myofibrillary proteins in leached fish meat (the initial salt content of which had been restituted) was by 30% lower than in the unleached controls.