Commercial frozen octopus: evaluation of physicochemical, sensory, and rheological quality indicators
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29352/mill0228.41574Keywords:
octopus spp.; freezing; quality; sensory; rheologyAbstract
Introduction: Freezing is essential for preserving octopus, but it can affect its sensory properties and texture. A seafood company that markets Northeast Pacific octopus, frozen on board, and fresh octopus from the Northeast Atlantic, sourced from an area closer to its operations, questioned the differences in quality and potential associated benefits.
Objective: This study aimed to address this challenge by comparing fresh and frozen octopus from the Atlantic with frozen octopus from the Pacific, which undergoes a tempering process before being refrozen. The objective was to evaluate the physicochemical, sensory, and rheological quality of the octopus, providing insights into the effects of freezing and its implications for commercial decision-making in the seafood sector.
Methods: The freezing process involved forced-air freezing at -18 °C, glazing, and storage at -18 °C between 22 °C for one week.
Results: Changes in texture (lower hardness and fracturability) were observed in frozen Atlantic octopus compared to the fresh sample. At the sensory level, frozen octopus also showed reduced hardness and elasticity. Over the freezing period, consistency values of protein dispersions decreased, linking freezing effects to changes in quality. On the other hand, the frozen Pacific octopus showed higher moisture content, pH, and the highest hardness and fracturability among the samples.
Conclusion: Freezing negatively impacts the quality of octopus, reducing key sensory and textural characteristics. These findings highlight the need to optimize freezing processes and sourcing strategies in the seafood industry.
Downloads
References
Ainsworth, G. B., Pita, P., Pita, C., Roumbedakis, K., Pierce, G. J., Longo, C., Verutes, G., Fonseca, T., Castelo, D., Montero-Castaño, C., Valeiras, J., Rocha, F., García-de-la-Fuente, L., Acuña, J. L., del Pino Fernández Rueda, M., Fabregat, A. G., Martín-Aristín, A., & Villasante, S. (2023). Identifying sustainability priorities among value chain actors in artisanal common octopus fisheries. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 33(3), 669–698. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-023-09768-5
Almeida, C., Loubet, P., Laso, J., Nunes, M. L., & Marques, A. (2022). Environmental assessment of common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) from a small-scale fishery in Algarve (Portugal). The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 27(6), 849-867. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-022-02072-7
Altissimi, S., Mercuri, M. L., Framboas, M., Tommasino, M., Pelli, S., Benedetti, F., Di Bella, S., & Haouet, N. (2018). Indicators of protein spoilage in fresh and defrosted crustaceans and cephalopods stored in domestic condition. Italian Journal of Food Safety, 6(4). https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2017.6921
Bekhit, A. E.-D. A., Giteru, S. G., Holman, B. W. B., & Hopkins, D. L. (2021). Total volatile basic nitrogen and trimethylamine in muscle foods: Potential formation pathways and effects on human health. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 20(4), 3620-3666. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12764
Borderías, A. J., Colmenero, F., & Yábar, M. T. (1985). Parameters affecting viscosity as a quality control for frozen fish. Marine Fisheries Review, 47(4), 43-45. https://encurtador.com.br/8tuNF
Çalışkan Koç, G., Özkan Karabacak, A., Süfer, Ö., Adal, S., Çelebi, Y., Delikanlı Kıyak, B., & Öztekin, S. (2025). Thawing frozen foods: A comparative review of traditional and innovative methods. Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety, 24(2), e70136. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.70136
Cropotova, J., Kvangarsnes, K., Aas, G. H., Tappi, S., & Rustad, T. (2023). Chapter 6 - Protein from seafood. In B. K. Tiwari & L. E. Healy (Eds.), Future Proteins (pp. 107-129). Academic Press. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91739-1.00006-4
Derkach, S. R., Voron'ko, N. G., Kuchina, Y. A., & Kolotova, D. S. (2020). Modified fish gelatin as an alternative to mammalian gelatin in modern food technologies. Polymers, 12(12), 3051. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12123051
Erikson, U., Uglem, S., & Greiff, K. (2021). Freeze-chilling of whitefish: Effects of capture, on-board processing, freezing, frozen storage, thawing, and subsequent chilled storage—A review. Foods, 10(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10112661
Hu, C., & Xie, J. (2022). Tandem mass tag–based proteomics analysis of protein changes in the freezing and thawing cycles of Trachurus murphyi. Journal of Food Science, 87(9), 3938-3952. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16209
ISO, E. (2008). Sensory analysis–General guidance for the selection, training and monitoring of assessors–Part 2: Expert sensory assessors. (EN ISO, 8586(2), 2008). International Organization for Standardization.
Lougovois, V. P., Kolovou, M. K., Savvaidis, I. N., & Kontominas, M. G. (2008). Spoilage potential of ice‐stored whole musky octopus (Eledone moschata). International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 43(7), 1286-1294. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2621.2007.01607.x
Lv, Y., & Xie, J. (2021). Effects of freeze–thaw cycles on water migration, microstructure and protein oxidation in cuttlefish. Foods, 10(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10112576
Martino, J. C., Steer, M., & Doubleday, Z. A. (2021). Supporting the sustainable development of Australia’s octopus industry: First assessment of an artisanal fishery. Fisheries Research, 241, 105999. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2021.105999
Mehta, N., Rout, B., Balange, A., & Nayak, B. (2023). Dynamic viscoelastic behaviour, gelling properties of myofibrillar proteins and histological changes in shrimp (L. vannamei) muscles during ice storage. Aquaculture and Fisheries, 8, 180-189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aaf.2021.08.011
Muniz, J. S. M. (2020). Aproveitamento e valorização de polvo da costa portuguesa e de robalo de aquacultura [Dissertação de Doutoramento nãp publiacada]. Universidade de Lisboa.
Reyes, G., Nirchio, M., Bello, R., & Borderías, J. (2014). Effect of freezing and cooking on the texture and electrophoretic pattern of the proteins of octopus arms (Octopus vulgaris). Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutricion, 64(3), 198-205.
Ruiz‐Capillas, C., Moral, A., Morales, J., & Montero, P. (2003). Viscosity and emulsifying capacity in pota and octopus muscle during frozen storage. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 83(11), 1168-1175. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.1523
Sauer, W. H. H., Gleadall, I. G., Downey-Breedt, N., Doubleday, Z., Gillespie, G., Haimovici, M., Ibañez, C., Katugin, O., Leporati, S., Lipinski, M., Markaida, U., Ramos, J., Rosa, R., Villanueva, R., Arguelles, J., Briceño, F., Carracco, S., Che, L., Chen, C., Cisneros, R.,…Pecl, G. (2021). World octopus fisheries. Reviews in Fisheries Science & Aquaculture, 29(3), 279-429. https://doi.org/10.1080/23308249.2019.1680603
Tan, M., Mei, J., & Xie, J. (2021). The formation and control of ice crystal and its impact on the quality of frozen aquatic products: A review. Crystals, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst11010068
Vaz-Pires, P., & Barbosa, A. (2004). Sensory, microbiological, physical and nutritional properties of iced whole common octopus (Octopus vulgaris). LWT - Food Science and Technology, 37(1), 105-114. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0023-6438(03)00141-5
Xie, H., Sha, X. M., Yuan, P., Li, J. L., Hu, Z. Z., & Tu, Z. C. (2024). Rheology, physicochemical properties, and microstructure of fish gelatin emulsion gel modified by γ-polyglutamic acid. Frontiers in nutrition, 11, 1343394. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1343394
Zamuz, S., Bohrer, B., Shariati, M. A., Rebezov, M., Kumar, M., Pateiro, M., & Lorenzo, J. M. (2023). Assessing the quality of octopus: From sea to table. Food Frontiers, 4. https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.226
Zavadlav, S., Lacković, I., Bursać Kovačević, D., Greiner, R., Putnik, P., & Vidaček Filipec, S. (2019). Utilizing Impedance for quality assessment of European squid (Loligo Vulgaris) during chilled storage. Foods, 8(12). https://doi.org/10.3390/foods8120624
Zhang, H., Liu, S., Li, S., Chen, X., Xu, M., Su, Y., Qiao, K., Chen, X., Chen, B., Zhong, H., Lin, H., & Liu, Z. (2024). The Effects of Four Different Thawing Methods on Quality Indicators of Amphioctopus neglectus. Foods, 13(8), 1234. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13081234
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Millenium - Journal of Education, Technologies, and Health
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who submit proposals for this journal agree to the following terms:
a) Articles are published under the Licença Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0), in full open-access, without any cost or fees of any kind to the author or the reader;
b) The authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication, allowing the free sharing of work, provided it is correctly attributed the authorship and initial publication in this journal;
c) The authors are permitted to take on additional contracts separately for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in this journal (eg, post it to an institutional repository or as a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal;
d) Authors are permitted and encouraged to publish and distribute their work online (eg, in institutional repositories or on their website) as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as increase the impact and citation of published work
Documents required for submission
Article template (Editable format)
