Comparison of Collagen Distribution and Muscle Structure Between Cultured Amberjack (Seriola dumerili) and Cultured Yellowtail (Seriola quinqueradiata)

ABSTRACT

The collagen distribution in cultured specimens of amberjack and yellowtail were assessed by histochemical observation in relation to the meat texture of the fish. Major structural alteration was observed in the level of pericellular connective tissue of yellowtail that had higher muscle lipid content; these changes are likely to be associated with the large-scale changes in muscle firmness resulting from the weakening of the cellular binding force. However, lipid deposition was limited to the myocommata in amberjack muscle; lipid deposition was not observed in the pericellular connective tissue, which is the likely reason why amberjack maintained firmer meat texture.

KEYWORDS:

• Collagen distribution
• lipid distribution
• muscle
• connective tissue
• amberjack
• yellowtail