Evaluation of putrescine, cadaverine, and indole as chemical indicators of decomposition in Penaeid shrimp

Putrescine, cadaverine, and indole were evaluated as chemical indicators of decomposition for wild and aquacultured Penaeid shrimp decomposed under controlled conditions at 0, 12, 24, and 36 degreesC and for commercial shrimp samples collected and evaluated by Food and Drug Administration experts. Putrescine, cadaverine, and indole levels increased with time as the temperatures of decomposition increased. Putrescine, at a reject level of 3 ppm, confirmed sensory evidence of decomposition more frequently than did cadaverine or indole at reject levels of 3 ppm or 25 mug/100 g, respectively. Based on this research, putrescine appears to be the most comprehensive chemical indicator for decomposition in fresh or frozen Penaeid shrimp studied to date.