Effect of protein oxidation and degradation on texture deterioration of ready‐to‐eat shrimps during storage

Abstract The impact of protein oxidation and degradation on texture deterioration of ready‐to‐eat (RTE) shrimps during storage was investigated. The deterioration in texture during storage was manifested by decreased instrumental hardness, elasticity, chewiness, and recoverability. The occurrence of protein oxidation was revealed by a significant increase in the contents of free radicals and carbonyls. The increases in trichloroacetic acid‐soluble peptide (TCA‐soluble peptide) content and myofibril fragmentation index (MFI) were also observed, suggesting the degradation of protein. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the decreased instrumental texture parameters were negatively correlated with the increased carbonyl content, TCA‐soluble peptide, MFI, porosity, and pore size as well as the decreased water‐holding capacity (WHC), thus, it was hypothesized that protein oxidation and degradation were responsible for changes in the microstructure and reduction of WHC, which ultimately resulted in texture deterioration of RTE shrimps.