CHANGES IN ALPHA-CONNECTIN CONTENT DURING STORAGE OF ICED, FROZEN, AND THAWED FISH MUSCLES

When carp, rainbow trout, stone flounder, and flatfish muscles were st ored at 0-degrees-C, it was found that the content of alpha-connectin decreased rapidly at the beginning of the storage, with a simultaneous decrease in the breaking strength of the muscles to 70-75% of the ini tial value. Alpha-Connectin content was, however, kept constant over t he experimental period for 1 year at -20-degrees-C. A decrease in alph a-connectin also occurred rapidly when the muscle temperature reached -2-degrees-C, and progressed continuously even below 0-degrees-C durin g thawing and post-thaw storage. The breaking strength of the thawed m uscle was greatly reduced after thaw rigor, compared with that of unfr ozen muscle at the same storage time and temperature. Furthermore, tha wed carp muscle continuously decreased in breaking strength even after alpha-connectin had been completely lost. On the other hand, rainbow trout muscle decreased more rapidly in breaking strength than in alpha -connectin. These findings suggest that some additional factors are re quired for and will contribute more greatly to the tenderization of th awed muscle.