PREPARATION AND CHEMICAL AND MICROSTRUCTU RAL CHARACTERIZATION OF SURIMI FROM HAKE (MERLUCCIUS-MERLUCCIUS) AND HORSE MACKEREL (TRACHURUS-TRACHURUS) - ENGLISH, SPANISH

Surimi and kamaboko prepared from hake (Merluccius merluccius) and hor se mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) were characterized chemically and mi crostructurally. During the process, protein and lipid values decrease d while ash, chloride and free nitrogen extract values increased. Hake surimi and kamaboko had less humidity and a higher value of protein t han horse mackerel surimi and kamaboko. In both gels water activity de creased and whiteness increased. Horse mackerel kamaboko was more elas tic while hake kamaboko was harder and more brittle. The microstructur al study showed that the typical structure of fish muscle was lost, gi ving rise to a porous protein matrix with regions of high and low prot ein density, as well as some fragments of muscle fibres.