Evaluation of Acid-treated Fish Sarcoplasmic Proteins on Physicochemical and Rheological Characteristics of Pork Myofibrillar Protein Gel Mediated by Microbial Transglutaminase

Effect and mechanism of different exogenous biomolecules on the thermal-induced gel properties of surimi: A review

Surimi products are favored by domestic and foreign consumers due to their distinctive gelatinous texture, rich nutrition, and convenient consumption. Gel properties are key evaluation indicators for the quality of surimi products, which was mainly determined by the gel-forming ability of the myofibrillar protein (MP). In recent years, the surimi processing industry has faced challenges in product quality that limits the further development, and how to effectively improve the gel properties of surimi products has become one of the key scientific problems to be solved in surimi processing industry. A viable strategy for improving the product quality involves combining surimi with exogenous additives, such as proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids, to enhance the gel-forming ability of MP. At present, there is limited literature review to systematically investigate the role of these exogenous additives in interacting with MPs in surimi gel system and their effect on the gel properties of heat-induced surimi. Therefore, in this review, we systematically discussed the formation mechanism and influencing factors of surimi gel, the interactions of exogenous biomolecules (proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids) with surimi protein, as well as their effects on the gel properties of surimi product. The aim of this review was to help us with a better understanding for the intrinsic action mechanisms of complex surimi system and provide some theoretical guidance for the improvement of gel quality and development of surimi products.

Effect of Transglutaminase Treatment on the Structure and Sensory Properties of Rice- or Soy-Based Hybrid Sausages

Partial substitution of meat with non-protein sources in hybrid meat products generally leads to a decrease in texture attributes and, consequently, in sensory acceptance. In this study, we investigated the effects of transglutaminase (TG) at two concentrations (0.25% and 0.5%) on the physicochemical, textural, and sensory properties of hybrid sausages formulated with concentrated soy or rice proteins. TG caused a reduction in the heat treatment yield of hybrid sausages, particularly those made with rice protein. pH and color parameters were marginally affected by TG addition. Texture parameters increased substantially with TG, although escalating the TG level from 0.25% to 0.5% did not result in a proportional improvement in texture parameters; in fact, for rice-based hybrid sausages, no difference was achieved for all attributes, while only cohesiveness and chewiness were improved for soy-based ones. TG enhanced the sensory attributes of soy-based hybrid sausages to a level comparable to control meat emulsion, as evidenced by ordinate preference score and projective mapping. Our findings suggest that TG is a viable strategy for enhancing texture and sensory parameters in hybrid sausages, particularly for plant proteins that exhibit greater compatibility with the meat matrix.

Controlling Ingredients for Healthier Meat Products: Clean Label

Many ingredients are incorporated in the manufacture of meat products. Some of them are necessary to improve flavor, taste, and texture of meat products. However, excessive addition of processing ingredients such as fat, sodium, and other curing agents might cause health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and chronic diseases. Therefore, it is recommended that the minimum amount necessary of these ingredients be incorporated in the manufacture of meat products. This review summarizes minimum levels of key ingredients for the manufacture of meat products with maximum palatability. Functional ingredients that should be added in the process of meat products are also discussed. Thus, the reduction of undesirable ingredients and the addition of functional ingredients could be achieved to develop healthier meat products for consumers.

Combined effects of Laminaria japonica and transglutaminase on physicochemical and sensory characteristics of semi-dried chicken sausages

The effects of Laminaria japonica, Transglutaminase (TGase) and their combinations were investigated based on the physicochemical properties, textural properties, and sensory characteristics of semi-dried chicken sausages. The moisture content, ash content, and water activity of the semi-dried chicken sausage containing a combination of Laminaria japonica and TGase were higher than the control (P < 0.05). The semi-dried chicken sausage with 1.0% Laminaria japonica and 1.0% TGase (T3) had less cooking loss compared to the control and other treatments (P < 0.05). The protein content and fat content, pH of batters and sausages, springiness, and cohesiveness of the semi-dried chicken sausages were not significantly different between the control and treatments with a combination of Laminaria japonica and TGase (P > 0.05). Among the sensory traits, color score was highest in the control and in the treatment with 2.0% TGase (T5) (P < 0.05). The flavor score was highest in the control, while the treatments with 1.0% Laminaria japonica combined with 1.0% TGase (T3) had the highest tenderness and juiciness scores (P < 0.05). The results of this study show that the combination of Laminaria japonica and TGase successfully improved textural properties and sensory characteristics of the semi-dried chicken sausages, and the combination of 1.0% Laminaria japonica and 1.0% TGase improved quality of the semi-dried chicken sausages the most.