Correlation study between quality characteristics and proteomics of abalone under liquid nitrogen freezing and slow freezing conditions

Abstract Objectives We investigated the correlation between abalone quality characteristics and proteomic profiles in liquid nitrogen freezing (LNF) vs. slow freezing (SF) to reveal potential mechanisms of their quality change. Materials and Methods Using a combination of quality characteristics analysis and 4D-DIA quantitative proteomics, we compared the effects of LNF and SF on abalone quality. We further analyzed changes in differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) after 30 d of frozen storage and established the correlations with key quality characteristics. Results Compared with SF, the LNF treatment significantly delayed abalone quality deterioration. After 150 d, the total volatile basic nitrogen increase was reduced by 40.82%, drip loss by 40.43%, and cooking loss by 36.23%. Hardness and springiness declines were lowered by 51.56% and 34.48%, and the L* value decrease was reduced by 27.58%, effectively preserving color and texture. The DEPs were predominantly identified as binding proteins and metabolic enzymes, and were found to be involved in cytoskeletal organization, cellular metabolic regulation, muscle contraction, and signal transduction. Abalone quality characteristics were influenced by these DEPs, including MYO6, FLNA, MYH6, BLNK, ELMO1, STOM, RHOA, ALDO, INDO, and ALPK. Notably, PRDX5 showed strong correlations with multiple quality characteristics, suggesting its potential as a quality marker for frozen abalone. Conclusions This study clarifies, from a proteomic perspective, the molecular basis for the superiority of LNF over SF method, providing a theoretical foundation for optimizing freezing processes and quality preservation in abalone.