Glazing herring (Clupea harengus) fillets with herring muscle press juice: effect on lipid oxidation development during frozen storage

In this study, fish muscle press juice, PJ, was evaluated as an antioxidative liquid for glazing of fish fillets prior to frozen storage. PJ has in previous studies efficiently protected fish mince lipids against haemoglobin‐mediated oxidation. Frozen herring fillet were glazed with water, PJ or 50 mm phosphate buffer of the same pH as herring PJ (6.5). Over 52 weeks, peroxide value (PV), TBA‐reactive substances (TBARS), rancid odour and colour were monitored. From 26 to 52 weeks, water‐glazed fillets were significantly (P < 0.05) more oxidised compared to fillets glazed with PJ or buffer, most clearly shown by PV and TBARS data. The protective effects of both PJ and buffer compared to water could indicate a role, for example, of the physiological ionic strength. The finding that PV became elevated in PJ which was frozen stored alone in a thin layer indicates that PJ stripped from, for example, trace lipids and haemoglobin would provide better protection.