CHANGES DURING POST

MORTEM

DWI YULI PUJIASTUTI, M.SC

FA K U LTA S P E R I K A N A N D A N K E L A U TA N
U N I V E R S I TA S A I R L A N G G A
2020
 POSTMORTEM PHYSIOLOGY

• Onset of Rigor Mortis

• Glycogen metabolism

• ATP metabolism

• Physiological Disorders
 BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES IN
POST-RIGOR MUSCLE

• pH
• Nucleotida catabolism
• Lipid hydrolysis and oxidation
• Protein hydrolisis
• Other enzymatic reaction
4
5
6
Fish meat Protein
 protein
fat

water

Proteins rearrange
somewhat and
fat consequently lose
some water binding
ability
 MARKET FORMS OF FISH

 Drawn:
 Whole fish with scales, gills, internal organs removed
 Dressed or Pan-dressed:
 Drawn fish with head, tail, and fins removed
 Fillets:
 Sides of fish cut lengthwise away from bones and
backbone
 Steaks:
 Cross sections cut from large dressed fish
 May contain bones from ribs and backbone
 RIGOR MORTIS
- when fish stiffen up after they die.

Fish that go through rigor mortis at higher

temperatures stiffen up so violently that the
flesh actually tears…that’s gaping.

Getting your fish cold as rapidly as possible

is the best defense against gaping…and
many other quality problems.
 MUSHY TEXTURE

Bruised, crushed or gaped fish

deteriorates more rapidly,
resulting in mushy texture , early
onset of rancidity, and reduced
shelf life…

That means less value for the consumer, the retailer,

the processor and you. Take the steps to avoid
gaping and bruising, and you won’t have problems
with mushy fish.
SCALE LOSS

Some scale loss is

inevitable, but too
much lessens the value
of your fish.

Gentle handling is the

key. Keeping fish moist
and getting them
chilled quickly reduces
scale loss.
 ENZYMES & BACTERIA

In addition to physical damage…

All seafood is subject to spoilage

caused by enzymes and bacteria
 ENZYMATIC
DETERIORATION

Enzymes are chemicals that are vital

to the fish when it is alive, but…

after fish die enzymes begin to

breakdown the proteins of its flesh.
 ENZYMATIC DETERIORATION

“Belly burn” …caused

by digestive enzymes…
is a common example.

Enzyme activity is promoted by crushing

and higher temperatures, so chilling and
careful handling are key to controlling it.
 BACTERIAL SPOILAGE
The flesh of live fish is sterile, but the
exterior is not. Bacteria enter any
exposed flesh after a fish dies.

You can help minimize bacterial spoilage

by keeping your decks, fish hold, slush
bags and totes clean and sanitary…

and by chilling your fish as soon as

possible
BACTERIAL GROWTH
These illustrations show how much more
rapidly bacteria grow at higher temperatures
 BACTERIAL GROWTH

The higher the temperature the faster bacteria grow.

At 50°F bacteria grow 7 times faster than at 32°F.

Temperature Doubling Time

71oF 1 hour
50oF 3 hours
41oF 6 hours
37oF 10 hours
32oF 20 hours
THE ROLE OF ENZYMES IN DETERMINING
SEAFOOD COLOR, FLAVOR AND TEXTURE
The importance of enzymes in postmortem fish

Enzymes are ubiquitous components of the edible

tissues from fish and other
aquatic organisms and they influence seafood quality
in many ways.

It has been written that no other group of tissue

components is more important to the
seafood technologist than are enzyme systems.
ENZYME SYSTEMS:

. RIGORMORTIS

. LOSS OF PRI ME QUALITY IN FRESH

SEAFOOD

. PROCESSED SEAFOOD QUALITY

. ENZYMES AS SEAFOOD PROCESSING

AIDS
ENZYMES IN FISH MYOSYSTEMS

. HOMOLOGOUS ENZYMES
. INTERSPECIES DIFFERENCES IN
ENZYMES
. EXTRINSIC ENZYMES
ENZYMES AND SEAFOOD
COLOR AND APPEARANCE

PIGMENTS IN SEAFOODS INCLUDE THOSE OF

NATURAL ORIGIN AS WELL AS THOSE
RESULTING
FROM POSTMORTEM CHANGES.

THE PRINCIPAL PIGMENTS IN SEAFOOD THAT

NORMALLY IMPACT QUALITY ARE HEME
PROTEINS, CAROTENOIDS, AND MELANINS
FROM ENZYMIC AND NON-ENZYMIC
REACTIONS.
. FLESH OPACITY
. HEME PROTEINS
. CAROTENOIDS
. POSTHARVEST PIGMENTATION
ENZYMES AND SEAFOOD FLAVOR

THE AROMA OF RAW FISH IS AN IMPORTANT INDICATION OF QUALITY.

SEAFOOD FLAVOR IS COMPLEX BECAUSE OF THE BROAD RANGE OF TAXA
INCLUDING BOTH VERTEBRATE AND INVERTEBRATE ORGANISMS.

ONE CAN DISTINGUISH BETWEEN:

(I) THE PLEASANT, PLANT-LIKE, MELON-LIKE AROMA OF VERY FRESH RAW

FISH,
(II) THE STRONG AND OBJECTIONABLE AROMA OF SPOILED RAW FISH,
AND
(III) THE FLAVOR OF COOKED FISH AND SHELLFISH. ENDOGENOUS
ENZYMES ARE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRST TYPE OF AROMA.

ENDOGENOUS ENZYMES TOGETHER WITH SPOILAGE BACTERIA ARE

RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ‘FISHY’ ODOR CHARACTERISTIC OF STALE OR
RANCID FISH. COOKED FLAVOR ALSO INCLUDES TASTE ACTIVE
COMPOUNDS THAT ARE PARTLY THE RESULT OF ENDOGENOUS ENZYME
ACTIVITY.
 ENZYMES AND SEAFOOD TEXTURE

. TENDERIZATION AND SOFTENING

. HEAT INDUCED PROTEASES
. TRANSGLUTAMINASE
. PROTEIN AGGREGATION IN FROZEN FISH