The effect of slaughter method on the quality of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) during storage on ice

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Abstract
Summary: Rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) were stunned by electrocution, exposure to elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide and by a blow to the head, and subsequently bled. The fish were stored ungutted in ice for up to 15 days, and the changes in the textural properties of the flesh of the fish were measured by a sensory panel and with a texturometer. Parallel changes in the concentrations of spoilage‐related biochemical constituents, in water‐holding capacity and in bacterial counts were also determined. Slaughter by electrocution and by carbon dioxide narcotization led to a greater initial production of lactic acid and a slightly reduced pH, compared with slaughter by a blow to the head. No significant differences were found in the values of the other indices of quality, either immediately after death or during post‐mortem storage.