Characterization of Farmed Carp (Cyprinus carpio) Surimi Gel in Medium Temperature by Increasing the Setting Time

Chopped and washed fish meat (surimi) is used to produce ready-to-eat products. We can make products with better textural properties through various setting methods such as changing pH، and applying different heating time and temperature. In the present research، farmed carp surimi was heated in medium temperature at different setting times. The purpose is determining the effect of increasing the heating time during setting in medium temperature on the properties of surimi gels. Experiments were conducted on suwari gels (salty set surimi) and also kamaboko gels (cooked suwari). The gels were heated at 25ْC for 1، 2، 3، 5 and 8 hours for setting. The set suwari gels were immediately cooled down for one hour in ice and water، while kamaboko gals were cooked at 90ْC for 20 minutes before cooling. The Experiments carried out included water holding capacity، protein solubility، soluble peptides، gel electrophorasis، puncture test، and colorimetriy. The rate of protein solubility، L* and whiteness values decreased in both the suwari and kamaboko gels by increasing of the setting time to 25ºC. The rate of water holding capacity and soluble peptides in TCA revealed no significant difference. Electrophoresis gel pattern showed that the increase of setting time led to the decrease of the molecule weight of myosin and actin. Two-step heating of surimi gel and increasing of the setting time to 8 hours in medium temperature are recommended to improve the gelling characteristics of farmed carp surimi، and increase the texture quality of its products.