Rigor Mortis em carpas húngaras (Cyprinus carpio) submetidas ao extrato de Maracujá (Passiflora incarnata)

Abstract

The capture, transport and improper maintenance are still the main problems to conserve the fish, these techniques when misapplied trigger physiology and biochemical changes affecting the quality of the meat resulting in stress. With the death of the fish, the first transformation that occurs in animals is rigor mortis, featured by muscle stiffness. In front of this situation, the use of substances to minimize the action of the stress associated with the proper handling of capture and killing become fundamental to increase the lifetime of the product ensuring its quality, among the alternatives to improve the growth, enhance immunity and reduce the effects of stress on the fish stands out the use of medicinal plants. Red passion becomes an alternative; the most common use of this plant is as a sedative and tranquilizer. This work aimed to evaluate the rigor mortis in Cyprinus carpio submitted to the Passiflora incarnata extract. 24 animals were used, with average weight of 1.64 ± 0.51 kg and total length of 45.5 ± 1.7 cm for the TS and has 1.51 ± 0.33 kg and 43.5 ± 1.4 cm for TC. In the treatment TS were applied three mL of saline per kg body weight. Already in TC were applied three mL of passion fruit extract per kg of body weight. Six animals were used for analysis of pH. The application of the extract did not show sedative effect in pre slaughter. The first pH reading was below 7 indicating that the pre slaughter handling stress caused in animals. There was no significant difference between treatments in muscle pH during the experiment (P> 0.05). Within 48 hours the pH remained low between 6.59 to 6.64 and in 24 hours was observed a slight rigor mortis in treatments. The Passiflora incarnata extract showed no sedative effect, not affecting the rigor mortis and muscle pH fish.