Rigor Index of juvenile cobia (Rachycentron canadum): study with anesthesia (eugenol) and hypothermia

Abstract

Consumers rigorously assess the quality of fishing products, considering mainly freshness and appearance. The slaughter method is an important factor in relation to the freshness of the fish, because it maintains important organoleptic characteristics that will influence the marketing of these products, therefore, in this study an evaluation of the Rigor Index (RI%) of cobia was performed. The following methods were used: in desensitizing with eugenol and hypothermia. Immediately after the slaughter, the monitoring of rigor mortis began. In the method of slaughter with eugenol reached full rigor after 6 hours, and in the method by hypothermia lasted 4 hours. The slaughter method with lower stress showed a significant difference, with a positive influence on the duration of the stages of rigor mortis.Over time, the choice of slaughter methods is based almost exclusively on ease of application and those with the lowest cost, and not on those that cause less suffering Leandro Presenza et al.

Pre-Slaughter Stunning Methods Influence the Meat Quality of Arapaima gigas Fillets

“…The application of stunning methods is an essential factor in fish quality because it maintains crucial organoleptic characteristics that will influence commercialisation. Given this, Presenza et al [42] compared some preslaughter stunning methods, including eugenol stunning and hyperthermia. The authors found that slaughter preceded by the application of Eugenol resulted in full rigor mortis after 6 h, and when using the hyperthermia method, it lasted 4 h. The pre-slaughter stunning method augmented with eugenol caused less stress, positively influencing the duration of rigor mortis stages.…”