Qualidade de atuns tipo exportação capturados no litoral de Pernambuco e Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Abstract

The objective of this study was to obtain information regarding tuna fish quality captured in the northwestern coast of Brazil from December 2007 until December 2008. The levels of histamine in export type tuna caught in the coast of Rio Grande do Norte by the technique of pelagic trawl were determined. It was investigated the efficiency of two objective parameters of quality, levels of bioactive amines and color evaluation, which were related to the classification performed by a trained evaluator. The influence of the capture of live or dead fish on the quality of meat was also investigated. Among the 180 samples of fresh tuna analyzed, 95% did not contain histamine. Only nine samples contained histamine at levels that ranged between 4.92 and 6.90 mg/kg. The results indicated that the practices of handling and fishing gear used by companies of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, ensured the achievement of good quality fish. The levels of bioactive amines in 68 samples of tuna categorized into six levels of quality by experienced painelist were determined. The polyamines(spermine and spermidine), were found, however, the levels did not differ suggesting that this parameter objective in itself was not sufficient to distinguish the different levels of quality of yellowfin tuna and bigeye tuna. No significant differences were found in the values of the colorimetric coordinates (CIEL*, CIEa*, CIEb* and CIEC*) in samples of tuna classification 1, 2+, 2H, 2, 2- and 3. The conditions dead or alive at the time of slaughter showed no influence on the production of bioactive amines indicating that other factors may be involved. However, the samples were in excellent state of freshness, because were found significant levels of spermine and spermidine, rather low levels of cadaverine, putrescine, histamine, tyramine, phenylethylamine, agmatine, serotonin and tryptamine.