Effect of washing treatment and microbial transglutaminase on the gelling properties of blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) proteins

The effect of washing cycles and microbial transglutaminase on the gelation properties of crabmeat was evaluated. The blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) was cooked at 120°C for 30 min before obtaining the meat. Cooked meat was homogenized in a cutter with 0 (control) or 0.5 microbial transglutaminase (MTGase), stuffed in steel tubes and setted at 40 °C for 30 min before cooking at 90 °C for 15 min. Control samples were cooked directly at 90 °C. Changes in color, mechanical properties (puncture test) and water holding capacity (WHC) were evaluated. Adding MTGase improved the mechanical properties of crabmeat gels after one or three washing cycles in both cooking processes (setting and cooked directly). The results suggest that a single washing process produces crab meat gels with good mechanical properties while maintaining soluble proteins, responsible for the distinctive flavor of crabmeat.