Improvement of Heat-gelation Ability of Surimi from Frozen Blue Mackerel by the Addition of Sodium Carbonate

Abstract

In order to utilize low-utilized fish species as a raw material for kamaboko, we investigated the gelation properties of frozen blue mackerel. Blue mackerel was caught from Kumano-nada region and immediately frozen-stored at −20°C for three months. After thawing the mackerel, surimi was prepared by washing in fresh water or alkaline solution. Unlike the processing of unfrozen blue mackerel, little or no effect of washing in alkaline solution on the gel forming ability of frozen blue mackerel was observed. The addition of alkaline salt (Na₂CO₃) into the salt-ground meat, however, resulted in increases in both breaking strength and breaking deformation of the heated gel of the salt-ground meat. Furthermore, we clearly observed effect of setting at 30°C on the gel strength of the salt-ground meat with Na₂CO₃. These results showed that frozen blue mackerel would be a new raw material for kamaboko, which was less expensive and could be supplied stably.