Effects of adding fish gelatin on Alaska pollock surimi gels

Fish gelatin is a food additive obtained after hydrolysis of collagen from fish skin. The importance of fish gelatin as a food additive is increasing due to its increased commercial availability. Surimi is washed minced fish meat used as the raw material for seafood analogs like crabmeat substitutes. The most important attributes of surimi are gelling and whiteness. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of using fish gelatin as an additive in surimi to improve the mechanical and functional properties of gels. Surimi gels were prepared by mixing grade A or FA surimi (Alaska pollock) with salt (20 g/kg w/w) and commercial fish gelatin at 0 (control), 5, 7.5, 10, or 15 g/kg (w/w) previously dissolved in water (200 mL/kg surimi). The solubilized paste was incubated at 40 °C for 30 min followed by cooking at 90 °C for 15 min. Changes in mechanical properties (torsion test), a functional property (expressible water content) and color attributes of surimi gels were measured. Grade FA surimi gels containing 7.5-15 g/kg of fish gelatin showed an improved expressible moisture. However, gelatin added at 15 g/kg showed a disruptive effect detrimental to the mechanical properties. Color parameters were modified slightly. Whiteness attribute as affected by increasing the fish gelatin was instrumentally detected but not observed by sensory panelists. Gelatin did not change the overall color attributes and all gels remained in the grayish region. These results indicated that fish gelatin did not have an advantage for using as a functional additive in Alaska pollock surimi grades A or FA. However, it can be used at up to 10 g/kg without a negative effect on the mechanical properties.