Biochemical Effects of Gamma Radiation on Kembung Fish (Rastrelliger Neglectus)

Investigations on the changes of SH-protease and acid phosphatase activity, total volatile base nitrogen (TVBN) and hypoxanthine concentration of fish during chilled storage were carried out. It was found that during storage for 12 days at 2-5°C the concentration of hypoxanthine and TVBN value in Kembung fish increased steadily, while the specific activity of the fish SH-protease and acid phosphatase decreased remarkably. Evidently the increase in hypoxanthine concentration during storage proceeded faster than the increase in TVBN value. It was proved that radiation treatment at doses of 0.1 and 0.2 Mrad had no significant effect either on SH-protease activity or on the activity of acid phosphatase. Analyses of variance of the TVBN value and hypoxanthine concentration in unirradiated and irradiated fish during storage indicated that storage and radiation treatments produced highly significant effects; furthermore, irradiation effects on both parameters were significant after two days' storage. The significantly lower TVBN value and hypoxanthine concentration in samples irradiated at 0.2 Mrad as compared with those irradiated at 0.1 Mrad appeared after 7 days' storage. (author)