Gelation properties of tilapia fish protein isolate and surimi pre- and post-rigor

Pre-rigor salting improves gel strength and water-holding of surimi gel made from snakehead fish (Channa argus): The role of protein oxidation

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of pre-rigor salting on the quality characteristics of surimi gels prepared from snakehead fish muscle. Pre-rigor and post-rigor muscle were mixed with 0.3% or 3% NaCl (w/w) and made into surimi gels, respectively. Results showed that pre-rigor muscle had a higher content of ATP, longer sarcomere, higher pH and greater protein solubility. Metabolic profile suggested that pre-rigor muscle had higher content (a 28-fold increase) of antioxidants such as butyryl-l-carnitine. Transmission electron microscopy showed more damage of mitochondria in post-rigor muscle. Surimi paste from pre-rigor meat chopped with 3% NaCl generally showed greater radical scavenging ability and had higher content of free sulfhydryl. Surimi gel made from pre-rigor muscle salted with 3% NaCl showed a larger gel strength (3.18 kg*mm vs. 2.22 kg*mm) and better water-holding (86% vs. 80%) than that of post-rigor group. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that: In addition to other factors such as pH, degree of denaturation, etc., less protein oxidation in pre-rigor salted surimi also contributes to the improved gel properties.

Preparation and characterization of tilapia protein isolate - Hyaluronic acid complexes using a pH-driven method for improving the stability of tilapia protein isolate emulsion

This study aimed to investigate the non-covalent complexation between hyaluronic acid (HA) and tilapia protein isolate (TPI) on the stability of oil-in-water (O/W) TPI emulsion. The results showed that HA binds to TPI through electrostatic, hydrophobic, and hydrogen bonding interactions, forming homogeneous hydrophilic TPI-HA complexes. The binding of HA promoted the structural folding of TPI and altered its secondary structure during pH neutralization. The TPI-HA complexes presented significantly improved EAI and ESI (P < 0.05) when the HA concentration was 0.8 % (w/v). Emulsion characterization showed that HA promoted the transfer of TPI to the O/W interface, forming an emulsion with excellent stability, which, combined with the high surface charge and strong spatial site resistance effect of HA, improved TPI emulsion stability. Therefore, non-covalent complexation with HA is an effective strategy to improve the stability of TPI emulsion.

Various factors affecting the gel properties of surimi: A review

As an important aquatic prepared food, surimi products are favored by consumers due to their unique viscoelastic properties and high nutritional value. Gel properties are the main indicators to measure the quality of surimi products. The gelation of surimi mainly involves intramolecular (conformational change) and intermolecular (chemical force) changes. Factors such as processing treatments, raw fish species and exogenous additives affect surimi protein structure, chemical forces and endogenous enzyme activities, which further affect the gel properties of surimi products. This review focuses on the mechanism of surimi heat-induced gel, mainly including protein chain expansion and aggregation through various chemical forces to form a three-dimensional network structure. In addition, the mechanism and application of different factors on the gel properties of surimi were also discussed, providing a reference for the selection of fish species, the control of heating conditions in the gel process of surimi products, the selection of additives and other measures to improve the gel performance.

Study on the effect and mechanism of chicken breast on the gel properties of silver carp (Hypophthalmichtys molitrix) surimi

BACKGROUND

Adding appropriate exogenous substances is an effective means to improve the quality of freshwater fish surimi. The present study investigated the effects of chicken breast on the gel properties of mixed minced meat products.

RESULTS

With the increase in the proportion of chicken breast, the breaking force of mixed gels gradually increased. When the addition ratio was 30:70, the gel strength of mixed gels had the highest strength of 759.00 g cm-1 and also the highest water holding capacity of 87.36%. Compared with surimi gels (0:100), the hardness, adhesiveness and chewiness of mixed gels were significantly improved. The increase in the proportion of chicken breast increased the thermal stability of the mixed sol and improved the rheological properties of the mixed sol. When the proportion was 40:60, the area of immobile water (A22 ) in the mixed gel increased significantly, and the highest A22 was 3463.24. The hydrophobic interactions and disulfide bonds in the mixed gel were significantly increased as a result of the addition of chicken breast. The results of microstructure, electrophoresis and Raman spectroscopy indicated that the addition of chicken breast promoted the cross-linking of the proteins in mixed gels, which facilitated the transformation of the protein secondary structure from α-helical to β-folded structure, thus forming a more uniform and orderly network structure.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that improving the gel properties of silver carp surimi by use of chicken breast has practical implications for the development of new blended products for surimi processing. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Advances in the complement system of a teleost fish, Oreochromisniloticus

As the earliest known vertebrate possessing a complete immune system, teleost fish played an important role in the evolution of this system. The complement system is an ancient defense mechanism present in invertebrates and vertebrates. In teleost fish the complement system is formed by more than 35 circulating proteins, or found at the cell surface. This system is activated by three pathways: alternative, classical and lectin, generating functions such as the opsonization, lysis and modulation of the innate and adaptive immune responses. The complement system is an important immunological indicator that can be used to study and monitor the effects of environmental, nutritional, and infectious processes. The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is a teleost fish of great economic interest due to its characteristics of easy cultivation, high growth rates, and tolerance to adverse environmental conditions. In addition, Nile tilapia is an excellent model for ecotoxicological studies, however, there are very few studies reporting the performance of the complement system in this species after exposure to environmental pollutants. The aim of this review is to gather recent studies with to address the molecular and functional characterizations of the complement system in Nile tilapia and provide new insights about this defense mechanism. Looking to the future, we believe that the complement system analysis in Tilapia can be used as a biomarker of water quality and the general health status of fish.

Utilization of protein isolates from rohu (Labeo rohita) processing waste through incorporation into fish sausages; quality evaluation of the resultant paste and end product

BACKGROUND

Fish processing waste could be valorized by recuperating the nutrients for human consumption. Employing a suitable process would address the pollution problems associated with its dumping and would contribute to food security. In this study, protein isolates obtained from rohu (Labeo rohita) processing waste through the pH shift process (pH 13.0) were valorized through incorporation into pangasius (Pangasius pangasius) mince sausages (0.0, 50, 100, 250, and 500 g kg^-1 ). These sausages were analyzed for their proximate composition, and their physical and eating quality.

RESULTS

Increasing the isolate content (11.57% to 16.14%) in sausages increased their protein content and whiteness values (P < 0.05). At 250 g kg^-1 level, the cooking yield was maximum, and the expressible fluid content of paste was minimum. Moreover, adding rohu protein isolates in pangasius mince increased the expressible moisture and decreased its folding and gel strength values (P < 0.05). The gel strength values were highest for the sausages without isolates (2648.67 g cm). In contrast, in the sausages containing 250, 100, and 500 g kg^-1 isolate, the values were determined to be 847.88, 731.21, and 611.06 g cm, respectively. Replacing pangasius mince with rohu protein isolates had a non-significant effect on the sensory attributes of the sausages.

CONCLUSION

Replacing pangasius mince with rohu protein isolates at 250 g kg^-1 resulted in superior quality sausages compared with other levels tested. Incorporating rohu protein isolates in fish sausages improved the nutritional value without significantly reducing their eating quality. The findings of this study indicate promising potential for developing nutrient-rich foods using fish protein isolates. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Inhibitory effect of microwave heating on cathepsin l-induced degradation of myofibrillar protein gel

This work was aimed to compare the effect of microwave (MW) heating on the cathepsin L (Cat L)-induced degradation of myofibrillar protein (MP) gels with that of water bath (WB) heating. First, Cat L from silver carp was purified and determined to be 45 kDa. The gel strength of the MW-heated MP gels were significantly higher than those of the WB-heated when Cat L was added (P < 0.05). The gel electrophoresis pattern and scanning electron microscopy analysis indicated that MW heating inhibited the Cat l-induced hydrolysis of MP gels. In addition, the number of sulfhydryl groups and surface hydrophobicity of MW-heated gels were lower than those of WB-heated gels when Cat L was added. These results indicated that MW heating could effectively weaken the degradation of Cat L on MP gels by manipulating disulfide bonds and hydrophobic amino acids, resulting in good gel properties and a compact protein network.

Effect of High Voltage Cold Plasma on Oxidation, Physiochemical, and Gelling Properties of Myofibrillar Protein Isolate from Asian Sea Bass (Lates calcarifer)

The effects of in-bag dielectric barrier discharge high voltage cold plasma (IB-DBD-HVCP) on myofibrillar protein isolate (MPI) from Asian sea bass (ASB) and its impact on the physiochemical and gelling properties of MPI gels were elucidated. A mixture of argon (90%) and oxygen (10%) was used for generating IB-DBD-HVCP. MPI was subjected to IB-DBD-HVCP for varying times (5–15 min). Total carbonyl content was increased, while total sulfhydryl content was decreased in MPI, especially with augmenting treatment time (TT) (p < 0.05). Surface hydrophobicity initially increased when IB-DBD-HVCP TT of 5 min (DBD-HVCP5) was implemented, followed by subsequent decrease with increasing TT. Based on gel electrophoresis, lower actin and myosin heavy chain (MHC) band intensities were found for MPI subjected to IB-DBD-HVCP, particularly when a TT longer than 10 min was used, compared to those of the control. Gel made from DBD-HVCP5 had higher breaking force, deformation, and highest G′ value compared to others. A more ordered and fibrous network was found in DBD-HVCP5 treated gel. Therefore, IB-DBD-HVCP treatment, particularly for 5 min, enhanced cross-linking of proteins in ASB myofibrillar proteins, which resulted in the improved gel elasticity and strength.

Effect of organic acid on recovery yields and characteristics of rohu (Labeo rohita) protein isolates extracted using pH shift processing

BACKGROUND

Proteins recovery using hydrochloric acid (HCl) in acid-aided solubilization could cause greater loss in its functionality over alkali-aided solubilization. Moreover, using HCl in edible foods is also a health concern. Replacing HCl with organic acids for acid-aided solubilization could address these problems. The aim was to study the effect of organic acid (glacial acetic acid) as a replacement for HCl during pH shift processing on the characteristics and functionality of rohu (Labeo rohita) protein isolates. Rohu proteins were obtained by solubilizing at pH 3.0 and pH 11.0 using glacial acetic acid and sodium hydroxide (10 mol L^-1 ).

RESULTS

Results showed that solubilization at pH 11.0 gave higher protein yields (766.8 ± 2.4 g kg^-1 ) compared to solubilization at pH 3.0 (735.7 ± 7.1 g kg^-1 ) (P < 0.05). Isolates from acid-aided solubilization had higher whiteness and total pigment content over isolates obtained by alkali-aided solubilization. Rohu isolates recovered by alkaline solubilization showed higher water and oil holding capacity, gel strength, folding scores, foaming and emulsion capacity than acid processed isolates (P < 0.05). Solubilization of rohu proteins using glacial acetic acid produced isolates with low breaking force (149.0 g), low storage modulus (G') values and low folding test score (1.0) over the alkaline isolates (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Results indicated that, recovering rohu proteins using organic acid (glacial acetic acid) could produce isolates with poor functional properties, while using the organic acid to precipitate the proteins solubilized by alkali-aided processing could produce proteins with better yields and functionality. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.