Application of Antifreeze Protein for Food Preservation: Effect of Type III Antifreeze Protein for Preservation of Gel‐forming of Frozen and Chilled Actomyosin

Type III antifreeze protein (AFP) remarkably preserved Ca 2+ ATPase activity of actomyosin during frozen and chilled storage. Under frozen conditions, AFP helped to retain the Ca 2+ ATPase activity of actomyosin much higher than that of conventional cryoprotectants (sucrose‐sorbitol mixture). The Ca 2+ ATPase activity increased with increasing AFP concentration and reached a maximum at 50g/L AFP. After 3‐d chilled storage, the Ca 2+ ATPase activity of control and sucrose‐sorbitol samples had lost 80% and 50%, respectively, while the AFP samples remained unchanged. A Type III AFP mechanism based on freezing temperature depression (more unfrozen water) and inhibition of ice recrystallization that protects against the freezing of muscle proteins in chilled or frozen conditions is proposed.