Gel properties, phase behavior and flavor of double-network surimi gel: Interactions, performance and mechanisms

This study systematically investigated the synergistic effects of chitosan (CHI) and transglutaminase (TG) on improving the gel properties, structural characteristics, textural quality and flavor profile of surimi products. The results showed that through the synergistic effects of non-covalent and covalent interactions, CHI and TG successfully constructed a stable dual-network gel system, which increased the water holding capacity and gel strength were increased by 67.34 % and 71.98 % respectively. 1 % CHI +0.4 % TG formulation effectively restricted water mobility and increased the proportion of immobilized water to 97.97 %. The content of β-sheet increased to 68 % and the microstructure became more compact and ordered, with a decrease in porosity of 44.49 %. Furthermore, the dual-network gel system demonstrated simultaneous improvements in both textural and flavor characteristics. These findings provide novel insights into the development of advanced surimi products with dual-network structures, highlighting the technological advantages of CHI-TG combination over conventional single-network systems.