Abstract
Consumers base the organoleptic quality of fish on factors such as texture, which can be altered by exercise. The effect of exercise on the fillet firmness of hpuku (Polyprion oxygeneios) was investigated to determine whether exercise would yield a firmer and more desirable product. To achieve this, the firmness and muscle fibre density (MFD) of fillets from fish exercised for 8 weeks at 0.0, 0.75 or 1.5 body lengths/second (BL s(-1)) was assessed. Firmness was significantly lower in the 0.75 BL s(-1) and 1.5 BL s(-1) exercised fish than the 0.0 BL s(-1) group. MFD was also significantly lower in the exercise treatments. This is explained by an increase in the median fibre size with exercise implying that exercise stimulated muscle fibre hypertrophy, leading to lowered MFD. Assuming that firmer flesh is perceived to be more desirable, exercise may have little value in the production of hpuku.
Original language | English |
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Journal | New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research |
Volume | 49 |
Issue number | 4 |
Pages (from-to) | 429-438 |
ISSN | 0028-8330 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2015 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- FISHERIES
- MARINE
- OCEANOGRAPHY
- SALMON SALMO-SALAR
- CALCINEURIN-SIGNALING PATHWAY
- ATLANTIC SALMON
- WHITE MUSCLE
- TELEOST FISH
- CHEMICAL-COMPOSITION
- LATERAL MUSCULATURE
- COMMON CARP
- GROWTH
- TROUT
- exercise
- flesh texture
- muscle fibre density
- muscle fibre histology
- swimming