1Processing and Utilization Division of Hokkaido Abashiri Fisheries Experiment Station, Monbetsu, Hokkaido 094-0011, 2Processing and Utilization Division of Hokkaido Central Fisheries Experiment Station, Yoichi, Hokkaido 046-8555, 3Laboratory of Marine Products and Food Science, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, Hakodate 041-8611, Japan
Rigor mortis of the adductor muscle in the scallop Patinopecten yessoensis is a serious quality control problem for the distribution of scallop products. We aimed to develop technologies to delay the rigor mortis of the adductor muscle in scallops. We investigated what factors were involved in the rigor mortis during the storage period after removal of the adductor muscle from the scallop shell, especially the effects of energy recovery during the process of preserving live individual scallops on the quality of the adductor muscle. We also examined effective conditions for preserving the scallops to recover their energy levels. We found that the arginine phosphate concentration in the adductor muscle was important with respect to rigor mortis but not ATP concentration. We also found that it was necessary to preserve the scallop just after harvesting at low temperature and with sufficient oxygen supply, to recover the arginine phosphate concentration lost during the process of harvesting and then leaving the scallops in air.