• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.279-286
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• 1996

Cultivated tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in the fresh water were acclimated to the sea water to improve palatability of the fish meat. Physicochemical properties in the rigor mortis of those fish meats were investigated during storage at $0^{\circ}C,\;10^{\circ}C\;and\;20^{\circ}C$. The faster onset of rigor mortis was occurred in acclimated meat than fresh water cultivated meat. Both meats stored at $0^{\circ}C$ showed faster figro mortis than at $10^{\circ}C\;and\;20^{\circ}C$. Significant difference was not observed between the breaking strength and the rigor index. The breaking strength reached maximum over 12hrs after death and then gradually declined, and the rigor index was slowly increased and reached maximum over 18hrs after postmortem. Low temperature and acclimation to the sea water affected the degradation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), accumulation of inosine monophosphate (IMP) or lactate. These results suggest that the palatability of tilapia muscle cultivated in the fresh water could be improved by acclimation to the sea water which induces the prerigor at the early state of postmortem and the physical changes of fish muscle.