Scanning Electron Microscopic Study of Rockfish Preserved at Either Ambient Temperature or by Isothermal Freeze-Fixation

Authors

L. E. Lampila
V. Mohr
D. S. Reid

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Abstract

Fresh rockfish (Bocaccio, Sebastus paucispinis) fillets were blast frozen and stored at either -5 °C or -20 °C for 60 days . At defined sampling intervals, speci mens were removed and chemically fixed at either ambient temperature or isothermally, at the respective storage temperatures (-5 °C or -20°C) . The results indicated that isothermally freeze - fixed specimens showed a degree of crushing and/or distortion of the muscle fiber, the deposition of presumed ice crystals in the cell membrane, the multi-dimensionality of connective tissue and the preservation of fine detail . In specimens fixed at ambient temperatures , structura l components had relaxed back to a state similar to their native conformation. Isothermal freeze fixation appears to be an excellent means to preserve frozen muscle tissue for the study of the effects of freezing and frozen storage.

Recommended Citation

Lampila, L. E.; Mohr, V.; and Reid, D. S. (1985) "Scanning Electron Microscopic Study of Rockfish Preserved at Either Ambient Temperature or by Isothermal Freeze-Fixation," Food Structure: Vol. 4: No. 1, Article 3.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/foodmicrostructure/vol4/iss1/3