Studies on freshness of trawl catches - IV. Resolution characteristics of ATP related compounds in fishes from several waters and the effect of habitat temperatures on the characters.

Abstract

Behavior of ATP related compounds in fish muscle during resolution was studied for a total of 66 fish species collected from the tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters. Percentage levels of ATP differed by fish species and by habitat temperatures. When the fish were kept at 32°C after killing, relative levels of ADP and AMP lowered simultaneously with, and proportionately to the lowering in the level of ATP. Decreasing rates of aggregate percentage level of ATP, ADP, and AMP at 32°C, designated as Δ(ATP+ADP+AMP)32 (%/h), tended to be larger for fishes with lower habitat temperatures. Δ(ATP+ADP+AMP)32 was always larger than ΔK32. Accordingly, IMP level continued to rise until (ATP+ADP+AMP) level became zero when it reached its peak, then began to decrease. The rates of increase and decrease of IMP, and the temporal phase and level of its peak could be approximately estimated by Δ(ATP+ADP+AMP)32 and Δ32. The present results also suggested the adaptation of fishes to the habitat temperature.