Abstract: This study was focused on the oxidative lipid changes of abalone meat under different precooking and storage conditions in order to explore the quality changes. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value was tested by a steam distillation method. The fatty acid composition was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results showed that TBARS value was 1.01 mg/kg in fresh abalone samples, which increased to 4.12, 4.31 and 3.40 mg/kg, respectively after storage at 4 ℃ for 4 days, –18 ℃ for 35 days and –80 ℃ for 35 days. TBARS value in precooked (heating at 80 ℃ for 2 h) abalone was 1.90 mg/kg, and it remained stable at 1.91, 1.86 and 1.91 mg/kg after storage at 4 ℃ for 4 days, –18 ℃ for 35 days and –80 ℃ for 35 days. After storage at –18 ℃ for 35 days, the contents of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) in precooked samples (9.78% and 5.32%) were higher than those in unpretreated samples (8.76% and 5.01%). In conclusion, the oxidation of fatty acids was mainly observed in samples during cold storage, which was inhibited by the precooking treatment.

Key words: abalone, storage, lipid oxidation, precooking