Application of biopolymers for improving the glass transition temperature of hairtail fish meat

Glass transition temperature (T_g ) and food moisture content are closely related, especially in foods with a high moisture content, such as surimi products. In order to improve storage condition and maintain food quality, the influence of six biopolymers on the T_g of hairtail fish meat paste was investigated by differential scanning colorimetry.

Samples were stored at -8 °C (>T_g ), -14 °C (T_g ) and -18 °C (g ) for 105 days. The results showed that trehalose, maltodextrin and xanthan could obviously improve the T_g of the hairtail fish meat paste. Trehalose at 4.1% (w/w), maltodextrin at 5.0% and xanthan at 0.41% were determined as the optimum amounts, with the predicted value of T_g to be -14.1 °C. The total viable counts (TVC) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) of samples stored at -14 and -18 °C were much lower and the gel strength and whiteness maintained much better than those of -8 °C.

Addition of biopolymers could effectively restrain the increase in TVC and TVB-N, as well as the dropping of gel strength and whiteness of fish meat paste during storage. A mixture of the biopolymers could improve T_g and showed great potential in the preservation of hairtail meat products. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.