Effect of Ovalbumin on Gel-forming Ability of Alaska pollack Theragra chalcogramma Surimi

Abstract

In the industry, chicken egg white is used to improve physical property of fish meat gel. However, there are no detailed investigations regarding to the effect of egg white on the fish meat gel. In the present study, the effect of ovalbumin and its derivatives, which is a main protein of egg white, on the gel forming ability of Alaska pollack Theragra chalcogramma surimi was clarified. S-ovalbumin and I-ovalbumin were successfully prepared from N-ovalbumin. The ovalbumins reduced the physical property of surimi gel when heated at 40 ºC, whereas promoted when heated at 60 or 90 ºC, regardless of ovalbumin type. The ovalbumins showed no inhibitory effect toward trypsin activity. From the results, it is suggested that the improving effect of ovalbumins on physical property of heat-induced surimi gel is not due to its inhibitory effect of protease, but to its gel forming ability.