Application of cellulose nanofibers as cryoprotective in frozen storage of chicken surimi-like material

The application of cellulose nanofibers (CNF) as cryoprotectants in frozen foods has rarely been explored. In this study, the cryoprotective effect of CNF (2, 4 and 6 % w/w) on mechanically separated chicken meat (MSCM) surimi-like material was investigated, during frozen storage (5 and 60 days) under temperature fluctuation. Surimi-like without cryopreservation agents was more susceptible to protein oxidation due to ice recrystallization. The addition of 2 % w/w CNF attenuated the oxidation of myofibrillar proteins to the same extent as adding commercial cryoprotectants (sucrose, sorbitol and sodium tripolyphosphate). The surimi-like material containing 2 % CNF exhibited a high concentration of salt-soluble proteins (9.6 ± 1.1 mg/g), lower protein carbonylation (1.9 ± 0.3 nmol/mg) and few changes in the secondary structure of the myofibrillar proteins. In addition, this treatment minimized the percentage of water loss by thawing and cooking (30.2 ± 2.2 %), generating gels with a high water holding capacity (86.8 ± 1.6 %) and microstructure that was more homogeneous and less porous compared to the control (without cryoprotectants) and other treatments containing CNF. The cryoprotective efficacy of CNF was evident in surimi-like material, being an alternative compound to commercial cryoprotectants.