Abstract: To achieve precise evaluation of cellular status and quality in Larimichthys crocea muscle during early ice storage, this study employed electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The characteristic parameters including capacitance of cell membrane (Cm), extracellular resistance (Re) and intracellular resistance (Ri) were extracted by equivalent circuit modeling. Their correlations with key biochemical indicators (adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content, lactate dehydrogenase activity, and pH) and routine quality indicators (water activity, water holding capacity (WHC), muscle contraction rate, and texture) were analyzed. Results indicated that during the early stage of ice storage (0–4 h), rapid ATP consumption in cells induced metabolic disorders, causing cellular swelling and intense contraction. This was manifested as simultaneous increases in Cm, Re, and Ri, accompanied by a sharp decline in water holding capacity and increased hardness. In the later stage (4–24 h), with the depletion of ATP and the disruption of cell membrane integrity, Cm and Re decreased while the Ri continued to rise; WHC stabilized at low levels, accompanied by irreversible quality deterioration such as muscle softening. In summary, EIS characteristic parameters can sensitively capture critical junctures of quality changes reflected by routine biochemical and physical indicators, providing a theoretical foundation for non-destructive and real-time monitoring of fish quality based on cellular electrophysiological status.

Key words: Larimichthys crocea; early ice storage; electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; muscle cellular state; quality