1National Surimi Manufacturers Association, Abashiri, Hokkaido 093-0057, 2Graduate School of Fisheries Science, Hokkaido University, Hakodate, Hokkaido 041-8611, 3Abe Jyuro Co. Ltd., Abashiri, Hokkaido 093-0004, 4National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Fisheries Research Agency, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-8648, Japan
A study was made to clarify the temperature dependence of the gel forming ability of frozen surimi from walleye pollack. The salt-ground meat was preheated at a definite temperature in the range of 5 and 75°C for varying periods (preheated gel), and followed by heating at 90°C for 30 min (two-step heated gel). Changes in breaking strength ( BS ) and breaking strain (bs) of both the preheated and two-step heated gels were measured in association with the preheating time, and their maximum values recorded. When preheating at a temperature between 5 and 35°C, the rate of change in BS was dependent on temperature, where BS reached the maximum faster at higher temperature. When the meat was preheated at 40°C and over, the rate of the change in BS was independent of temperature, and BS decreased with time. At 70°C and over, BS remained at the same level with the progress of time. It was further found that there was a good positive correlation between BS and the gel stiffness (Gs=BS/bs) of all the two-step heated gels formed through the preheating at a temperature between 5 and 35°C. Consequently, a linear equation between BS and Gs represented the intrinsic gel forming ability of each frozen surimi.