Evaluating the effects of graphene nanoparticles combined radio-frequency thawing on the physicochemical quality and protein conformation in hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus) dorsal muscle

BACKGROUND: The thawing process is an essential step for a frozen marine fish. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of graphene magnetic nanoparticles combined radio-frequency thawing methods on frozen hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus) dorsal muscle. Seven thawing methods were used: air thawing, 4 C-degrees cold storage thawing, water thawing, radio-frequency thawing (RT), radio frequency thawing combined with graphene nanoparticles (G-RT), radio frequency thawing combined with graphene oxide nanoparticles (GO-RT) and radio-frequency thawing combined with graphene magnetic nanoparticles (GM-RT). The thawing loss and centrifugal loss, electric conductivity, total volatile basic nitrogen, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and color of thawed hairtail dorsal muscle were determined. The carbonyl content, total sulfhydryl groups, Ca2+-ATPase activity, raman spectroscopy measurements and Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry measurements were determined using myofibrillar extracted from the dorsal muscle of hairtail. The water distribution was determined using low-field NMR techniques.RESULTS: The results demonstrated that the RT, G-RT, GO-RT and GM-RT could significantly shorten the thawing time. Moreover, GO-RT and GM-RT efficiently preserved the color of fish dorsal muscle and reduced the impact of thawing on fish quality by reducing lipid and protein oxidation. Meanwhile, the myofibrillar protein structure thawed by GO-RT and GM-RT were more stable and had a more stable secondary structure, which maintained strong systemic stability at the same time as slowing down protein oxidation.CONCLUSION: The results showed that GO-RT and GM-RT can significantly improve the thawing efficiency at the same time as effectively maintaining and improving the color and texture of thawed fish, slowing down the oxidation of proteins and lipids, and maintaining a good quality of thawed fish meat.(c) 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.