Research and Reviews: Meat 2001

Special Circular 183-02

The Influence of Egg White and Tumbling on Gel Texture of Catfish Muscle

H.W. Ockerman^1* and H. Yetim^**
*The Ohio State University Department of Animal Sciences
^**Ataturk University Department of Food Science,Turkey

Abstract

Textural properties of fish gels were studied and differences of the gel texture were evaluated instrumentally and sensorially. Egg white addition and subsequent tumbling increased water holding capacity, gel strength and all other evaluated texture profile parameters of the catfish muscle gels. In general, tumbling caused an increase in all of the texture profile parameters except springiness which decreased with tumbling. There was a significant positive correlation between total protein and gel strength while there was a negative relationship between proteolysis and all the texture parameters including gel strength. It was concluded that the tumbling technique and egg white addition can be utilized to increase functional properties and/or textural quality of fish proteins during the processing of a restructured fish product.

¹For more information, contact at: 015 Animal Science Building, 2029 Fyffe Road, Columbus, OH 43210; 614-292-4317; Fax: 614-292-2929, Email: ockerman.2@osu.edu