Impacts of long‐time transportation on whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) muscle quality and underlying biochemical mechanisms

Abstract BACKGROUND Shrimp is widely consumed around the world. Since muscle is the primary edible component of shrimp, muscle quality (particularly texture) has a direct impact on the economic value of shrimp products. However, reports on the shrimp muscle quality influenced by transportation are rather limited, and the underlying mechanism remains unknown. RESULTS During the simulated transportation, the water pH and total ammonia‐nitrogen content and un‐ionized ammonia contents were elevated. Furthermore, reductions in shrimp muscle water‐holding capacity, hardness, and shear value with intensive myofibrillar protein degradation were detected. Simulated transportation decreased the pH and glycogen content of shrimp muscle while increasing lactic dehydrogenase activity and lactate content, resulting in an elevated level of free calcium ions and increased μ ‐calpain and general proteolytic activities. Water exchange could improve the water quality and reduce the mortality of shrimp during transportation, as well as decrease muscle textural softening by alleviating these stress responses. CONCLUSIONS Maintaining water quality and, in particular, reducing ammonia are critical to improving shrimp survival and muscle quality during live transportation. This study is of great significance for the better maintenance of the textural properties of shrimp meat. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.