National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Kanazawa,Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-8648, Japan
The selenium-containing imidazole compound selenoneine (2-selenyl-Nα, Nα, Nα-trimethyl-L-histidine) was injected into yellowtail intravenously, and a fillet was prepared 18 h after the injection. The selenoneine concentration in the red blood cells (RBCs) and red muscle were higher in the selenoneine-injected fish than in the control (water-injected) fish. A close correlation was detected between the selenoneine concentration in the RBCs and that in red muscle. In addition, a negative correlation was noted between the selenoneine concentration in the red muscle and the ROS level in the plasma. After the fish were killed, the fillets were stored on ice for 72 h, and meat slices were then prepared and stored for an additional 24 h at 4℃. The change in meat color in the selenoneine-injected fish was delayed, and the a* value of the red muscle was conserved compared with that in the control fish. Therefore, selenoneine was found to be responsible for the prevention of met-Mb formation in the red muscle of yellowtail.