CHANGES IN FREE AMINO-ACIDS OF HAKE (MERLUCCIUS-MERLUCCIUS L) MUSCLE DURING FROZEN STORAGE

The effect of storage at subzero temperatures (-5 degrees C, -12 degre es C, and -20 degrees C) on hake (Merluccius merluccius L.) muscle fre e-amino acid fraction was evaluated. A significant increase in free as partic acid, serine, threonine, arginine, beta-alanine, tyrosine, meth ionine, valine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, leucine, and lysine was fou nd at -5 degrees C, whereas at -12 degrees C, a significant decrease i n free glutamic acid, glycine, methyl-histidine, beta-alanine, taurine , alanine, and leucine was the most noticeable. No changes in the free amino acid fraction were observed at -20 degrees C. Activity of diffe rent kind of enzymes, aminopeptidases, aminoacid deaminases, and decar boxylases might be involved in the changes observed at -5 degrees C an d -12 degrees C.