Studies on the Mechanisms of Fiber Formation from Antarctic Krill Protein

Abstract

Spun protein fibers which may be acceptable as meat analogues have been fabricated from antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) muscle proteins and Na-alginate. Through the use of column chromatography, the interaction between actomyosin, extracted from antarctic krill muscle, and polysaccharides were investigated. Of the polysaccharides tested, only Na-alginate reacted with actomyosin. Elution patterns of the reaction mixtures of actomyosin and Na-alginate were different from that of the individual component. No apparent effects of Naalginate on the elution patterns of globular proteins such as bovine serum albumin and apo-ferritin were observed. Elution pattern of antarctic krill muscle proteins mixed with Na-alginate was different from that of the antarctic krill muscle proteins only. It appeared that complex formation between antarctic krill muscle proteins and Na-alginate contributed to the fiber formation when the homogenous antarctic krill muscle proteins-Naalginate mixture was extruded into the coagulation solution containing Ca ion.