Effect of Mixing and Moisture Modification on Toughening and Dimethylamine Formation in Alaska Pollock Mince during Frozen Storage at −10°C

Alaska pollock minces having reduced, normal and elevated levels of moisture were stored at - 10°C for 2 and 4 wk to determine how toughening was influenced by different amounts of ice in the frozen tissue. Minces containing reduced or elevated amounts of ice exhibited greater toughening than that observed in control minces. Also, some minces received an extra mixing step prior to freezing and this resulted in less toughening during storage, perhaps due to oxygen incorporated and partial inhibition of the enzyme system that converts trimethylamine oxide to dimethylamine and formaldehyde. However, among moisture-modified minces that received the same mixing treatment, development of toughening did not relate in any consistent manner with the development of dimethylamine.