Relationship between the risk for a shrimp allergy and freshness or cooking.

Tropomyosins are defined as risk factors for shrimp allergy. However, their concentration in different preparations has not been clarified. We quantified the tropomyosin concentration in shrimp meat, which was cooked using several methods or was stored under various conditions. The results demonstrated that shrimp meat from various preparations and storage conditions maintained tropomyosin concentrations that were sufficient to cause food allergies.

Contribution of structural reversibility to the heat stability of the tropomyosin shrimp allergen.

Tropomyosins are common heat-stable crustacean allergens. However, their heat stability and their effects on antigenicity have not been clarified. We purified tropomyosin in this study from raw kuruma prawns (Marsupenaeus japonicus) without heat processing. SDS-PAGE of the purified protein showed a band at approximately 35 kDa that cross-reacted with IgE from the serum of a shrimp-allergic patient, identifying it as Pen j 1. The circular dichroism spectrum of native Pen j 1 revealed the common α-helical structure of tropomyosins which easily collapsed upon heating to 80 °C. However, there were no insoluble aggregates after heating, and the protein regained its native CD spectral pattern after cooling to 25 °C. There was no significant difference in total IgG production between mice sensitized with native and heated Pen j 1. These results suggest that heat-denatured Pen j 1 refolded upon cooling and maintained its antigenicity following the heat treatment.

Change of volatile compounds in fresh fish meat during ice storage.

UNLABELLED: The change of volatile compounds in fresh fish meat during 3- to 4-d ice storage was investigated for several fishes using an electronic nose system and a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC/MS) with headspace solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME). Principal component analyses for samples using the electronic nose system revealed that the increase of some volatile compounds during storage was rapid in sardine (Sardinops melanostictus), jack mackerel (Trachurus japonicus), and chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus); moderate in yellowtail (Seriola quinqueradiata), skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis), and young oriental bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus). In contrast to these fishes, the change was little in "white meat" fishes such as red seabream (Chrysophrys major), Japanese seabass (Lateolabrax japonicus), flatfish (Paralichthys olivaceus), puffer (Lagocephalus wheeleri), and bartail flathead (Platycephalus indicus). SPME-GC/MS analysis showed that some aldehydes and alcohols such as 1-heptanol, (E)-2-octenal, (E)-2-hexenal, 1-pentanol, (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal,2,4-hexadienal, 1-hexanol, 4-heptenal, and so forth increased rapidly in jack mackerel and chub mackerel, slowly in skipjack, and a little in red seabream and puffer during the storage. The increase of these compounds was considered to have an effect on the change of electronic nose response. Hexanal was a dominant compound increased from the beginning of the storage in jack mackerel. The increase of volatile compounds was little in red seabream and puffer. The increase of these aldehydes and alcohols was thought to be an appropriate marker for monitoring the freshness of "fresh" fish except for white meat fish. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The results of this study are ready to apply for preventing fishy off-flavor of fisheries products. Lipid oxidative derivatives other than trimethylamine contributed to fresh fish flavor; therefore, to prevent lipid oxidation seemed important.