Preservative Effect of a Previous High-Pressure Treatment on the Chemical Changes Related to Quality Loss in Frozen Hake (Merluccius merluccius)
12 pages, 3 figures, 3 tables ; The objective of this study was the quality loss inhibition of hake (Merluccius merluccius) during the frozen storage. For it, the effect of a previous high-pressure (HP) treatment (150–450 MPa for 2 min) was analysed throughout a 5-month storage at − 10 °C. Quality changes were monitored by complementary chemical analyses. Inhibition (p 0.05) on the K value, polyene index and formation of peroxides and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances was achieved. Additionally, a multifactor ANOVA test (pressure and frozen storage time effects; i.e. comparison among HP treatments) showed an inhibitory effect (p < 0.015) on DMA and FFA formation, this effect increasing with pressure level applied. This inhibitory effect on the formation of such molecules related to quality loss can be explained on the basis of the damage caused to different kinds of enzymes such as trimethylamine oxide demethylase, lipases and phospholipases, so that their activity during the subsequent frozen storage would decrease. The work here presented provides for the first time information concerning the employment of HP technology to inhibit the DMA, FA and FFA formation during the frozen storage of hake. Further research focussed on commercial frozen conditions (− 18 °C) and including sensory and nutritional aspects is foreseen ; The work was supported by the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) (Spain) through the Research Project 2017-70E032; by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT Portugal), European Union, QRN, FEDER, COMPETE through founding of the Organic Chemistry Research Unit (QOPNA) (project PEst-C/QUI/UI0062/2013; FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-037296); and by Formula Grant No. 2011-31200-06041 and 2012-31200-06041 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture ; Peer reviewed