Sensory, biochemical and bacteriological properties of octopus (Cistopus indicus) stored in ice

Octopus (Cistopus indicus) were examined for the changes in autolytic activity, ammoniacal nitrogen, non-protein nitrogen (NPN), total volatile base nitrogen (TVBN), free fatty acid (FFA) content, aerobic plate count (APC) and sensory quality based on Quality Index Method (QIM) during ice storage. They were sensorily acceptable up to 7 days when QIM score was 10.97 out of 16.00. Autolytic activity increased from the initial value of 174 to 619 nmoles Tyr/g/h within day 3 and later decreased. There was also an increase in NPN (34.88 to 76.16 mg %), ammoniacal nitrogen (0 to 7.30 ppm) and free fatty acid content (0.35 to 1.69 % of oleic acid) during storage. TVBN values did not correlate with the spoilage, as it increased from 28 to 145 mg% within day 5, exceeding the limit of acceptability; although total QIM score was 7.47. Aerobic plate count did not show significant change suggesting that the spoilage in octopus was not microbial. The rapid spoilage in octopus was mainly due to the release of NPN compounds following autolytic activity leading to the formation of ammoniacal nitrogen, rather than microbial spoilage. Hence, ammoniacal nitrogen can be taken as an index for spoilage of ice stored octopus.