Effects of Antioxidants and Chelators on the Stability of Frozen Stored Mechanically Deboned Flounder Meat From Racks After Filleting

Using a mechanical deboner (Beehive), over 60% edible flesh was obtained from the “racks” (headed and gutted fish frames obtained as filleting waste). However, this meat developed an unattractive color during frozen storage and undesirable organoleptic changes occurred. The effectiveness of a combination of antioxidants, chelating agents and polyphosphates in retarding the development of rancidity, color deterioration and decrease of protein extractability in mechanically deboned flounder meat (MDFM) during frozen storage was studied. The most effective treatment to minimize undesirable change was a 1 min dip of the racks, prior to deboning, in a pH 4.5 solution of 0.5% each of ascorbic and citric acids and 0.2% each of Na 2 EDTA and Kena (Calgon), followed by a postdeboning addition of 0.3% each of ascorbic and citric acids and 0.2% each of Kena and Na 2 EDTA.