Quality Characteristics and Flavors of Surimi Gels Treated with Different Functional Oils and Chopping Times

Abstract:

The effects of functional oils (camellia, soybean, and fish oils) and chopping time on the quality of Alaska pollock surimi gel, including physical and chemical indices, including microstructure, textural properties, moisture status, and protein structure, were evaluated in conjunction with the flavor profile. The optimal physicochemical characteristics of the surimi gel were achieved after 4 min of chopping. However, the protein secondary structure and flavor characteristics of the surimi gel were not significantly affected by variations in chopping time (P>0.05). With the same chopping time, the incorporation of functional oils significantly improved the quality of the surimi gel (P<0.05). Furthermore, the whiteness and water-holding capacity of the oil-surimi group increased by 16.15% and 5.44%, respectively, compared with the control group. The inclusion of oils reduced the α-helix and β-sheet structures of the surimi gel proteins, fostering hydrophobic interactions and disulfide bond cross-linking, which contributed to the formation of a denser gel network. Furthermore, gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) indicated that the type and concentration of the volatile compounds were altered by functional oils, thereby enriching the overall flavor profile. The results suggest that the addition of functional oils and specific chopping times can significantly enhance the quality of surimi gels, providing a theoretical basis for the development and application of functional oils in surimi gel products.