Czech J. Food Sci., 2014, 32(2):188-193 | DOI: 10.17221/535/2012-CJFS

High pressure effects on the activities of cathepsins B and D of mackerel and horse mackerel muscleOriginal Paper

Liliana G. Fidalgo¹, Jorge A. Saraiva¹, Santiago P. Aubourg², Manuel Vázquez³, J. Antonio Torres⁴

¹ Research Unit of Organic Chemistry, Natural and Agro-food Products (QOPNA), Chemistry Department, Aveiro University, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal

² Department of Food Technology, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (CSIC), Vigo, Spain

³ Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain

⁴ Food Processing Engineering Group, Department of Food Science and Technology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, USA

We determined high pressure processing (HPP) effects on the activities of cathepsins B and D in the muscles of mackerel (Scomber scombrus) and horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus). In mackerel, the cathepsin B activity decrease reached 40% at 450 MPa while in horse mackerel, low and intermediate pressures (150 and 300 MPa) caused an activity increase (30%) but at 450 MPa a decrease of up to 60%. In both species, cathepsin D activity increased after a 300 MPa treatment (up to 2-fold for mackerel and 60% for horse mackerel) and decreased on a 450 MPa treatment. The activity increase is probably due to HPP damage of lysosome releasing enzymes into the fish muscle. Based on the HPP effects on the activities of cathepsins B and D, 450 MPa may be used to reduce the proteolytic activity of cathepsin B prior to chilled or frozen storage of these fish species.

Keywords: high pressure processing; fish; Scomber scombrus; Trachurus trachurus; mackerel and horse mackere; proteolytic enzymes

Published: April 30, 2014  Show citation