Collagenase activity and protein hydrolysis as related to spoilage of iced cod (Gadus morhua)

Collagenase activity and changes in muscular protein of iced Atlantic cod stored for 9 days were studied. The crude fish muscle extract showed maximum collagenase-like activity against bovine insoluble tendon collagen at 48 h of incubation at 37°C. Collagenase activity against synthetic substrate increased (P<0.05), especially for fish in initial and advanced stages of decomposition. These results suggest that endogenous collagenases and other proteases may be responsible for the destruction of fine collagenous fibrils in the skeletal muscle of cod. The content of titin 1 decreased when decomposition was advanced. Moreover, a progressive degradation of sarcoplasmic proteins with a molecular weight of 100, 94, 85 and 80 kDa was observed. Results suggest that softening of cod muscle during iced storage is caused more by collagenase activity than by proteolysis of myofibrils. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.