| Abstract: | Thermal stability of proteins in frozen and thawed freshwater prawns was measured by differential scanning calorimetry. The onset and peak melting temperatures corresponding to myosin denaturation, as well as total enthalpy of denaturation of prawn muscle, decreased after freezing–thawing treatments. There were no significant differences in the thermal properties of prawns with changes in the rate of freezing, ie blast (fast) vs still (slow) freezing. However, the thermal properties were influenced by the rate of thawing. Rapid thawing using a combination of microwave and tap water resulted in a lower (P⩽0·05) thermal stability of prawn proteins compared to slow (refrigeration) or moderately fast (tap water) thawing methods. Keeping prawn shells intact or not intact during freezing–thawing did not alter the thermal properties of the prawn proteins. © 1997 SCI. |
