Changes in physical properties of heat-induced gel on addition of gluconate associated with suppression of myosin denaturation in walleye pollack salt-ground surimi during preheating

Changes in physical properties of two‐step heated gels on addition of gluconate were investigated in terms of relationships between breaking strength and gel stiffness. Regression lines between the breaking strength and the gel stiffness were extended to the x‐axis (gel stiffness), and the intercept was defined as SBS0. The SBS0 of the two‐step heated gels increased with gluconate contents in salt‐ground surimis, suggesting that the harder but less elastic gels formed on addition of gluconate were dose‐dependent. Conversely, the denaturation rate constants of myosin in salt‐ground surimis during preheating estimated by means of Ca‐ATPase inactivation, loss of salt solubility, and decrease of denaturant solubility were considerably reduced by gluconate. Thus, the progress of myosin denaturation was strongly suppressed. Increments of SBS0 (ΔSBS0) of the two‐step heated gels on addition of gluconate were inversely correlated with the denaturation rate constants of myosin in salt‐ground surimis for every index. Thus, the changes in physical parameters of two‐step heated gel caused by gluconate may be associated with the sluggish progress of myosin denaturation in salt‐ground surimi during preheating.