Fish spoiling in a port

FAO/FIIU Photo Library

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
for a world without hunger
Fisheries and
Aquaculture Department
Post-harvest changes in fish
Immediately after capture, several chemical and biological
changes take place in dead fish which can ultimately lead
to rejection for human consumption because of spoilage.
Fish post-harvest losses are significant, especially in
developing countries. Estimated at 10 to 12 million tonnes,
they account for around 10 percent of global capture and
cultured fish. Therefore, understanding the post-harvest
changes that occur in fish is very important in developing
appropriate measures to reduce losses and preserve the
quality and safety of the finished products.
The most obvious changes fish undergo after capture are
sensory, the foremost being the onset of rigor mortis due
to a loss of the limp elastic texture of the muscle which
contracts before becoming hard and stiff. This condition usually lasts for a day or
more in iced fish, then rigor resolves. Other changes relate to the appearance,
odour, texture and taste.
Sensory changes of fish are due to the enzymatic breakdown of major fish
molecules. These reactions are catalysed either by autolytic or bacterial enzymes,
as summarized in the table below.
Summary of Autolytic Changes in Chilled or Frozen Fish
Enzyme(s) Substrate Changes Encountered Prevention
glycolytic enzymes Glycogen
production of lactic acid, pH of
tissue drops, loss of water-holding
capacity in muscle
high temperature rigor may result
in gaping
fish should be allowed to pass through
rigor at temperatures as close to 0C as
practically possible
pre-rigor stress must be avoided
autolytic enzymes
involved in
nucleotide
breakdown
ATP
ADP
AMP
IMP
loss of fresh fish flavour, gradual
production of bitterness with Hx*
(later stages)
same as above
rough handling or crushing accelerates
breakdown
cathepsins proteins,
peptides
softening of tissue making
processing difficult or impossible
avoid rough handling during storage
and discharge
chymotrypsin,
trypsin, carboxy-
peptidases
proteins,
peptides
autolysis of visceral cavity in
pelagics (belly-bursting)
problem increased with
freezing/thawing or long- term chill
Related topics
HACCP
Reducing post-harvest
losses
Related documents
Quality and changes in
fresh fish
A Study of the Options
for Utilization of
Bycatch and Discards
from marine capture
Fisheries
Related links
Fisheries and food
security: Post-harvest
losses in artisanal
fisheries
peptidases
storage
calpain Myofibrillar
proteins
softening
molt-induced softening, in
crustaceans
removal of calcium thus preventing
activation
collagenases Connective
tissue
gaping of fillets
softening of muscle tissue
connective tissue degradation related to
time and temperature of chilled storage
TMAO demethylase TMAO
formaldehyde
induced toughening of frozen
gadoid fish
store fish at temperatures less than or
equal to -30C
physical abuse and freezing/thawing
accelerate formaldehyde-induced
toughening
*: Hx: Hypoxanthine. TMAO: Trimethylamine oxide
Microbially induced changes result from bacteria found on all the outer surfaces (skin and gills) and in the
intestines of live and newly-caught fish. These bacteria invade the muscle and cause gradual degradation of
several of its constituents (carbohydrates, nucleotides, amino acids and other NPN molecules), producing
undesirable volatile compounds such as trimethylamine, volatile sulphur compounds, aldehydes, ketones, esters
and hypoxanthine, as well as other low molecular weight compounds.
The last cause of fish spoilage is lipid oxidation and hydrolysis that leads to the development of rancidity, even
with storage at subzero temperatures. This is due to the large amount of polyunsaturated fatty acid moieties
found in fish lipids. In fact, this is a major cause of spoilage of frozen fish.