Compression properties of fish-meat gel as affected by gelatinization of added starch

The influence of starch addition on the elastic properties of fish-meat gel was studied by measuring dynamic viscoelasticity, microscopic observation, and compression tests. Samples with pregelatinized starch, and with and without raw starch were studied. The temperature dependence varied according to the size of the starch granules. Starch granule-size/temperature dependence in the free swellable state was higher than in the fish-meat sol (surimi) protein in the heating process. Results indicated that raw starch affected the surimi protein network with a possible "packing effect" of starch granules, which increased the elastic modulus of the fish-meat gel.