Biological Metabolism of Frozen Whale Meat at Subzero Temperatures in Relation to Thaw Rigor

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  • FUKUSHIMA Hideto
    Department of Marine Science and Resources, Nihon University
  • NAKAZAWA Naho
    Department of Food Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
  • YAMADA Koki
    Department of Marine Science and Resources, Nihon University
  • MATSUMIYA Masahiro
    Department of Marine Science and Resources, Nihon University
  • WADA Ritsuko
    Department of Food Science and Technology, National Fisheries University
  • MAEDA Toshimichi
    Department of Food Science and Technology, National Fisheries University

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<p>In many cases, frozen whale meat in the Japanese market is prepared before rigor mortis (pre-rigor). A serious problem for frozen whale meat is the occurrence of thaw rigor, which is the strong development of rigor mortis during thawing. To prepare frozen whale meat without thaw rigor and maintain a high meat pH, the temporal changes in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) contents of frozen meat stored at -2.5, -5.0, -7.5, and -10°C were investigated. The rate of decrease of ATP was higher than that of NAD at all storage temperatures. ATP nearly disappeared after holding the meat at -2.5°C for a few days; however, NAD existed yet, so pH decreased thereafter. ATP levels were maintained for a long period at a temperature of -5.0 to -10°C, resulting in the occurrence of thaw rigor. Compared to the muscles of fish such as tuna, the rates of decrease of ATP and NAD were extremely slow in whale meat.</p>

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