Effects of nano fish bone on gelling properties of tofu gel coagulated by citric acid.

Tofu gel was made by using citric acid (0.14%) in combination with varied volumetric ratios (e.g., 0-4%) of nano fish bone (NFB). The gel properties were investigated by colorimetry, penetration tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. As the volumetric ratio increased from 0 to 3%, the soluble calcium concentrations of soymilk linearly increased from 1.78 to 6.42 mg/mL. Correspondently, yield, moisture and texture values of the tofu gel increased continuously (p < 0.05) while syneresis and whiteness decreased (p < 0.05). Furthermore, ionic bonds, hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds increased by 140%, 40% and 10%, respectively. With the addition of NFB, the α-helices of the soybean proteins changed to β-sheets and random coil structures. Additionally, the tofu gel network became more orderly and denser. The results confirmed that NFB can be utilized as a functional coagulant ingredient to improve the properties of acid-induced tofu gels.