The effect of curdlan on the rheological properties of restructured ribbonfish (Trichiurus spp.) meat gel.

The influence of curdlan at different levels, as well as the method of addition, on the viscoelastic characteristics of ribbonfish meat gel was investigated. From a small amplitude oscillatory shear analysis (SAOA), a variety of viscoelastic parameters were established and identified to measure the intensity of the interactions between curdlan and protein in the fish meat gel network structure. The results of water holding capacity, texture, sensory property and microstructure analyses were strongly in agreement with the rheology data, suggesting that SAOA might be an appropriate method for the industrial assessment of the quality of fish meat gel. Additionally, the recombination mechanism of the complex system formed by the fish protein and curdlan was also clarified. Compared with the irreversible curdlan gel samples, the addition of reversible curdlan gel to the fish meat gel formed a much denser cross-linked interpenetrating structure, which led to a more stable and ordered three-dimensional gel complex.