Effect of total replacement of dietary fish meal by plant protein sources on early post mortem changes in the biochemical and physical parameters of rainbow trout

The effect of total replacement of fish meal protein with plant protein ingredients on early post mortem evolution of rigor index, muscle adenylate energy charge (AEC), muscle and eye liquor pH, dielectric properties, fillet colour and length contraction was evaluated in rainbow trout. The protein source influenced rigor index, AEC and fillet shrinkage behaviour, probably in relation to a difference, induced by the diet composition, in the efficiency of the cell energy recovering in the hours immediately after death.