Effects of Brain Destruction on Post Harvest Muscle Metabolism in the Fish Kahawai (Arripis trutta)

Brain destruction followed by immediate chilling of troll-caught kahawai delayed the onset of rigor by 73 min. It also resulted in the lowest measured pH in white muscle during rigor being reached after 1500 min compared with only 500 min for untreated fish. This difference in pH appeared to correlate with differences in lactic acid levels during rigor. Brain destruction also considerably increased the time at which significant amounts of ATP could be found in white muscle. High pH and ATP levels particularly during the chilling phase may contribute to retention of flesh translucency for longer periods.