Effects of high-pressure processing on proteolytic enzymes and proteins in cold-smoked salmon during refrigerated storage

The present paper describes the effects of high-pressure processing on the activity of proteolytic enzymes in cold-smoked salmon and enzyme extracts for pressures up to 300 MPa. The activities of the three enzymes, cathepsin B-like, cathepsin B + L-like and calpains were reduced at all pressure levels of up to 300 MPa (at ca. 9 °C for 20 min) in crude enzyme extracts prepared from cold-smoked salmon. Calpain almost completely inactivated at 300 MPa. High-pressure did not influence general proteolytic activity but activated the enzymes in muscles at higher pressure levels studied until 18 days of storage. An increase in the activity of cathepsin B + L-like and calpain was seen after 12 days of refrigerated storage. Myosin heavy chain was less affected at higher pressure levels (300 MPa) only as shown by Sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE) of proteins and further refrigerated storage had no obvious effects on proteins.