Water Holding Capacity Of Surimi Gels Research Articles

The influence of pressure-shift freezing based on the supercooling and pressure parameters on the freshwater surimi gel characteristics

In this study, the phase transition curve of grass carp surimi gel in the ice I region was mapped and fitted. Additionally, the average adiabatic compressibility of surimi gel was calculated to be 2.7℃/100 MPa in the range of 0–320 MPa. Building upon this, the study further investigated the impact of pressure-shift freezing (PSF) treatment based on supercooling and pressure coupling on the gel strength, texture profile analysis (TPA), and water-holding capacity of surimi gel. Compared with the low level of supercooling (supercooling value > -15℃) treatment, the PSF treatment with a higher supercooling degree (supercooling value ≤ -15℃) could enhance the strength and water-holding capacity of surimi gel. The morphology and distribution of ice crystals suggested that the diameter and size distribution of ice crystals in the sample were dependent on the combination of pressure level and supercooling. The combination of precise control of supercooling and pressure parameters is beneficial in improving the mechanical properties and water-holding capacity of surimi gel. This is of great value for developing high-quality surimi gel products and also offers a new research thread in the realm of high-pressure freezing.

Comparative effects of W/O and O/W emulsions on the physicochemical properties of silver carp surimi gels

The comparative effects of water-in-oil (W/O) and oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions on the physicochemical characteristics of silver carp surimi gels were investigated. The breaking force of surimi gels was 188.72 g, which decreased with increasing W/O emulsion but remained constant by adding O/W emulsion. The hardness decreased with increasing W/O emulsion, while the other parameters to TPA maintained constant whether the W/O or O/W emulsion was added. The yellowness value of surimi gels was 1.30, which increased with increasing W/O emulsion while remained constant after adding O/W emulsion. The water-holding capacity of surimi gels was invariant when emulsions increased. After emulsions added to surimi gels, no changes in the surimi protein interactions were found in electrophoretic patterns and Fourier transform infrared spectra. The increasing W/O emulsion enlarged the droplet size of oil and then destroyed the surimi gel network structure, while the oil droplets were evenly dispersed with increasing O/W emulsion.

Insight into the effect of large yellow croaker roe phospholipids on the physical properties of surimi gel and their interaction mechanism with myofibrillar protein.

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of large yellow croaker roe phospholipids (LYCRPLs) on the physical properties of surimi gels and to clarify their interaction mechanism with myofibrillar proteins (MPs) in terms of chemical forces and the spatial conformation. LYCRPLs could improve the gel strength, textural properties, rheological properties and water-holding capacity of surimi gels. Moreover, the interaction mechanism between LYCRPLs with MPs was revealed through intermolecular forces, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet visible absorption spectroscopy. The findings demonstrated that LYCRPLs enhanced the surface hydrophobicity and particle size of MPs, facilitating expansion and cross-linking of MPs. These results provide a theoretical basis for improving the characteristics of surimi gels and thus facilitate the application of LYCRPLs in the aquatic food industry. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

High inner phase emulsion of fish oil stabilized with rutin-grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) myofibrillar protein: Application as a fat substitute in surimi gel

This study investigated the effect of rutin-grass carp myofibrillar protein (R-GMP) co-stable fish oil high internal phase emulsion on the quality of surimi gel compared with the direct addition of soybean oil. Combined with the stability, microstructure and rheological properties, R-GMP (GMP: 3.0%, rutin: 12%,/GMP, w/w) could form a stable O/W type high internal phase Pickering emulsion with an oil-water ratio of 0.75. The L*, a*, and b* values and whiteness of silver carp surimi gel were increased significantly (P < 0.05) after fish oil-based high internal phase emulsion was added as oil. Meanwhile, compared with the direct addition of soybean oil, the hardness, chewiness, gel strength and water-holding capacity of surimi gel were significantly enhanced (P < 0.05) after the addition of R-GMP high internal phase emulsion, and more free water was bound to the gel network. The microstructure showed that the R-GMP high internal phase emulsion could be evenly distributed in the dense and ordered protein network gel in the form of small oil droplets, while the direct addition of soybean oil would produce an aggregation of oil droplets and destroy the network structure of the gel. In conclusion, R-GMP stabilized fish oil high internal phase emulsion optimizes the gel quality of oil-enhanced surimi gel, providing new ideas for healthy fat replacement and the development of functional emulsified surimi products.

Quality characteristics of silver carp surimi gels as affected by okara

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of okara on the quality of silver carp surimi gels. The characteristics of surimi gels without and with okara (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% w/w) were evaluated by measuring water-holding capacity (WHC), color, sensory, textural, and rheological properties. With further addition of okara, WHC, breaking force, textural properties, and whiteness were decreased (P < 0.05), while springiness of surimi meatballs had no significant difference in sensory evaluation. Storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) decreased along with increasing okara concentration. However, the sensory evaluation showed it was acceptable for surimi meatballs with 6% okara or less. Among different particle sizes (375, 805, 509, 387, 190, and 34 μm) of okara, surimi gels with 6% okara of larger particle sizes had higher values of hardness, gumminess, chewiness, and breaking force, while those with smaller particle sizes showed higher whiteness, but there was no significant difference on WHC of surimi gels. The storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) of surimi pastes also decreased with increasing particle sizes of okara. However, sensory evaluation showed no difference on surimi meatballs with different particle sizes of okara. Results demonstrated that okara could be used as an ingredient to improve the quality and nutritional value of surimi-based products.

Effects of oil-modified crosslinked/acetylated starches on silver carp surimi gel: Texture properties, water mobility, microstructure, and related mechanisms

This study investigated the texture properties, water mobility and microstructure of surimi gel added with crosslinked tapioca starch (CTS) and acetylated tapioca starch (ATS), and their counterparts modified with oil (Oil-CTS and Oil-ATS, respectively). Both Oil-CTS and Oil-ATS could improve the breaking force, deformation and elasticity of surimi gel, especially Oil-CTS. Additionally, oil-modified starches could increase the water-holding capacity of surimi gels and prompt the transformation of free water to bound water, resulting in the decrease of water mobility. The difference between oil-modified starches and their counterparts in gel-enhancing effect is due to the swelling ability and different microstructure of surimi/starch gels. Namely, oil-modified starches prompted the formation of a more homogeneous and compact gel network, endowing the surimi/Oil-CTS gel with tiny pores due to its restricted swelling property, while others were opposite. Raman spectral results further unveiled that the addition of oil-modified starches promoted the protein conformational transition from α-helix to β-sheet and β-turn, as well as a decrease of ionic bonds and an increase of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions of surimi gel, which were beneficial to form firm and compact gel structure. The overall results indicated the new oil-modified starches (especially Oil-CTS) have great potential to improve the quality of surimi-based products.

Effect of laver powder on textual, rheological properties and water distribution of squid (Dosidicus gigas) surimi gel.

In order to ameliorate the gel quality of Dosidicus gigas surimi, the effects of laver powder on gel properties, rheological properties, and water-holding capacity (WHC) were investigated. Results indicated that the addition of laver powder could significantly increase the hardness, chewiness, and breaking force of surimi gels. However, the texture indexes and gel strength began to decline when additional amount exceeded 0.6%. Rheological results demonstrated that the addition of laver powder increased the storage modulus (G') and viscosity of surimi, prolonged protein denaturation temperature in surimi gels. Moreover, the WHC of surimi gel was improved with the increase of laver powder. Further analyses in low-field nuclear magnetic resonance revealed that laver powder could shorten the transverse relaxation time, enhanced the combination with water, and altered the distribution of different water categories. The proportion of bound water and immobilized water reached its maximum and minimum at 0.6% of laver powder, respectively. Correlation analyses showed that WHC of surimi gel was negatively correlated well with the proportion of loose-bound water, but positively correlated with the strong-bound water and free water. In conclusion, the results supported that 0.6% was the optimal additional amount of laver powder for the squid-based surimi production based on the current ingredients of surimi products.