CHANGES IN CYTOCHROME C OXIDASE (CCO) AND LACTATE DEHYDROGENASE (LDH) ENZYME ACTIVITY OF THE WHITE EPAXIAL MUSCLE TISUE OF SEA BAS (DICENTRARCHUS LABRAX L.) AS SHELF-LIFE PREDICTIVE INDICES DURING ICE-STORAGE

Abstract

Fish freshness can be evaluated by sensory, physical and biochemical parameters. The purpose of the present work was to evaluate the potential utilisation of enzyme activity changes as indicators of shelf life in ice-stored sea bass. Changes in the enzyme content and organoleptic score of ungutted ice-stored sea bass were monitored over a two-week period. Organoleptic score and activity of CCO and LDH decreased gradually with a 50% reduction after 10 days of storage in ice. The results show that monitoring the activity of the mitochondrial and cytoplasmic enzymes of fish muscle can be used as an indicator of fish freshness.