Autolytic degradation of belly tissue in anchovy (Engraulis encrasicholus)

Summary Tissue degradation in anchovy was studied during storage under different conditions. Belly bursting seems to be caused by leakage of proteolytic enzymes from the pyloric caeca and intestine to the ventral muscle. These proteases have optimum pH in the alkaline range and they are very active in the neutral range. At pH 6.5, which is the post mortem pH of the tissue, the basic proteases play an important role in the degradation of myofibrillar protein and in the solubilization of connective tissue. The rate of tissue degradation during storage was considerably reduced if the fish was chilled by refrigerated or iced sea water to about 0°C, and the pH of the medium was reduced to 5 by addition of lactic or acetic acid.