POSTMORTEM CHANGE OF 3-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE OF COLLAGEN FIBRILLAR NETWORK IN FISH MUSCLE PERICELLULAR CONNECTIVE TISSUES CORRESPONDING TO POSTMORTEM TENDERIZATION

The three-dimensional structure of a collagen fibrillar network was examined by using a cell-maceration/SEM method combined with measuring the breaking strength of rainbow trout, yellowtail, and tiger puffer muscles. Rainbow trout and yellowtail muscles were tenderized during storage, but tiger puffer muscle showed no tenderization even after 72 h storage. According to histological observations, the thickness of pericellular connective tissue in rainbow trout and yellowtail muscles became thinner, and the density of their collagenous fibrils decreased during 24 h storage. On the other hand, no structural change was observed during 72 h storage in tiger puffer muscle. These results showed that the structural change in the collagen fibrillar network corresponded to the post-mortem tenderization. This result agreed well with previous light microscope and transmission electron microscope observations.