Effect of bovine plasma on heat-induced gelation of salt-ground meat from walleye pollack [Theragra chalcogramma] and chum salmon [Oncorhynchus keta]

Frozen surinis of walleye pollack and chum salmon were ground with 3.0% NaC1 in the presence and absence of 0.5% food additive containing bovine plasma. Each salt-ground meat was heated at 25°C or 40°C for varied durations (preheated gel), followed by heating at 90°C for 30 min to produce two-step heated (kamaboko) gel. Quality of the gels was evaluated from the change in gel properties as a function of the preheating time. The cross-linking profile of myosin heavy chains in each gel was also investigated. The results were as follows: 1) The gel properties (breaking strength and breaking strain) of the two-step heated gel were greatly enhanced by the addition of plasma powder to the salt-ground meat from both frozen surimis. 2) The gel-forming profile of the salt ground meats from both surimis induced by heating at 25, 40, and by subsequent heating at 90°C, were virtually unchanged by the addition of plasma powder. It is thus evident that the characteristic gel-forming nature of the salt-ground meats from walleye pollack and chum salmon remained even if the plasma powder was added, although the gel properties of the two-step heated gel were mostly enhanced.