Evaluation of histological post-mortem changes in farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) at different time intervals and storage temperatures
The aim of this study was to evaluate histologic post-mortem autolytic changes in farmed Atlantic salmon. The fish were either stored at room temperature (RT, 21°C), refrigerated (4°C) or frozen (−20°C), while fish necropsy was performed at 0, 1, 4, 24 and 48 h post-storage (hps). In addition, gills...
| Published in: | Journal of Fish Diseases |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2022
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10037/27210 https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.13681 |
| Summary: | The aim of this study was to evaluate histologic post-mortem autolytic changes in farmed Atlantic salmon. The fish were either stored at room temperature (RT, 21°C), refrigerated (4°C) or frozen (−20°C), while fish necropsy was performed at 0, 1, 4, 24 and 48 h post-storage (hps). In addition, gills were sampled at 0, 5, 10, 15, 30 and 45 min post-storage (mps) at room temperature (RT). The haematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue slides were evaluated and scored by using a semi-quantitative scoring system. Our findings demonstrated gills and pyloric caeca/pancreas as the most severely autolysed organs while heart and skeletal musculature were least affected. Generally, moderate to severe autolysis appeared first at 4 hps, while severe changes were seen at 24 hps. Gills demonstrated autolytic changes as early as 10 mps and pyloric caeca/pancreas at 1 hps. Freezing did not prevent the autolysis and even contributed to freezing artefacts, which may lead to misdiagnosis. Keeping organs refrigerated slowed the autolytic progress within the first 4 hps marginally. This study recommends gills and pyloric caeca/pancreas should be sampled as early as possible, at least within 10 min post-necropsy. |
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