Muscle protein solubility of some cephalopods (pota and octopus) during frozen storage

This study relates to myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic protein solubility in 5% NaCl and collagen solubility in 0.05 M acetic acid, from muscle and mantle of pota (Todaropsis eblanae) and octopus (Eledone cirrhosa) kept in frozen storage for 12 months. In both species, protein solubility in 5% NaCl remained high, over 60%, throughout the storage period. Solubility was lower in the octopus than in the pota lots. The species also behaved differently in terms of the increase in solubility, which occurred earlier in octopus (after 2 months) than in pota (after 5-6 months). Thereafter, solubility gradually declined. The values for solubility of proteins from mantle of both pota and octopus in 5% NaCl were greater in young specimens than in mature samples. There was no clear gender-dependent tendency. The acid solubility of collagen also increased in most lots up to the sixth month, after which it characteristically began to decline. Pota collagen was significantly more soluble in mantles than in arms. In octopus mantle, collagen solubility gradually declined. In the sexually developed phases (immature and mature), no gender-dependent differences were detected in the solubility of collagen from octopus mantle and arms. However, values did tend to be slightly higher in females. The mantles of immature specimens of pota and octopus were more suitable for freezing. Cette etude evalue la solubilite de proteines musculaires de 2 especes de cephalopodes (Todaropsis eblanae et Eledone cirrhosa) pendant un entreposage en congelation de 12 mois. Elle est basee sur le sexe, le stade de developpement sexuel et la region anatomique de l'animal. La solubilite des proteines est superieure dans le manteau a celle dans les bras et dans les especes immatures que matures. Les manteaux de specimens immatures semblent donc plus adaptes aux conditions d'entreposage etudiees.