Chemical and microbial changes in squid muscle (Loligo plei) and the efficiency of chemical indices for freshness evaluation were investigated during storage in contact ice (CI) and non-contact ice (NC). Psychrotrophic bacterial counts and non-protein nitrogen, free amino acids, trimethylamine, volatile basic nitrogen (VBN), urea and free tryptophan contents were periodically determined in squid muscle. No difference (P < 0.05) was detected between treatments regarding the increase of psychrotrophic bacterial counts in squid muscle during storage. The leaching of soluble compounds in Cl treatment drastically affected the efficiency of the chemical indices for freshness. Trimethylamine and VBN contents in squid muscle increased only after day 9 and no increase was observed in free tryptophan and urea contents in Cl treatment. In the NC treatment the contents of VBN and trimethylamine slowly increased during the first days of storage whereas free tryptophan and urea contents markedly increased during the whole storage. Free tryptophan and urea can be useful freshness indices for L. plei in storage conditions wherein leaching have been minimized. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.91347748
