Use of Tandem Mass Spectrometry Quantitative Proteomics to Identify Potential Biomarkers to Follow the Effects of Cold and Frozen Storage of Muscle Tissue of Litopenaeus vannamei.

L. vannamei has become one of the most productive species. However, it is susceptible to microbial contamination during fishing, transportation, and storage, which can lead to spoilage and quality deterioration. This study investigates the relationship between changes in the proteome of Litopenaeus vannamei (L. vannamei) muscle and quality characteristics during low-temperature storage using the tandem mass spectrometry technology of quantitative proteomics strategy. The differential expression of proteins under cold storage (4 °C, CS), partial slight freezing (-3 °C, PFS), and frozen storage (-18 °C, FS) conditions was compared with the fresh group (CK), resulting in 1572 proteins identified as differentially expressed. The purpose of this research is to identify potential biochemical markers by analyzing quality changes and relative differential proteins through searches in the UniProt database, Gene Ontology database, and Genome Encyclopedia. Correlation analysis revealed that seven DEPs were significantly related to physical and chemical indicators. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that most DEPs are involved in binding proteins, metabolic enzymes, and protein turnover. Additionally, some DEPs were identified as potential biomarkers for muscle decline. These findings contribute to understanding the mechanism of freshness decline in L. vannamei under low-temperature storage and the changes in muscle proteome.