Cryoprotection Affects Physiochemical Attributes of Rainbow Trout Fillets

ABSTRACT: Stabilization of trout myofibrillar proteins during ?20°C, 90-d storage and after soaking fillets in water, 8.0% sucrose/sorbitol, or 1.0% sodium lactate was investigated with or without 0.5% phosphate and with or without 0.05% MgCl₂. Fillets not soaked were the control. Compared with the control, cryoprotectants increased total protein and myofibrillar protein solubility; decreased surface hydrophobicity, total, free, and disulfide sulfhydryl content, and myosin susceptibility to thermal denaturation. There were no differences in total protein solubility and actin susceptibility to thermal denaturation between cryoprotectants and the water treatment. Phosphate minimized frozen storage effects on actin solubility and reduced protein surface hydrophobicity and myosin susceptibility to thermal denaturation, while MgCl₂ increased the negative effects of frozen storage.