Monitoring early micro-oxidation under refrigeration: iron and oxidative markers predict quality loss in grass carp

Current Research in Food Science 2026 Open access

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Authors: Xin Xiong, Ruifang Feng, Huijuan Zhang, Ning Ding, Shuai Zhuang, Yuqing Tan, Huawei Ma, Hui Hong, Yongkang Luo
DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101307
Cited by: 2
References: 36

Abstract

Effective cold-chain control requires identifying early quality deterioration before overt spoilage, yet simple early indicators for chilled fish remain scarce. We evaluated whether free iron, measured by a routine assay, can predict early quality loss in refrigerated grass carp. Fillets were stored at 4 °C for 0, 24, 48 and 120 h under control and deferoxamine (DFO) chelation. Free iron, lipid and protein oxidation markers (TBARS, MDA, TCA-soluble peptides) and the myofibril fragmentation index (MFI) were quantified; proteomics and histology provided mechanistic context. Simple linear models showed that iron alone accounted for most variance in deterioration endpoints (all p

Fields of Study & Subjects

Meat and Animal Product Quality Listeria monocytogenes in Food Safety Aquaculture Nutrition and Growth

Publication details

Journal / source
Current Research in Food Science
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Volume
12
Pages
101307–101307
Publication date
1 January 2026
Language
EN