THE MARKET POTENTIAL OF WHEY-PROTEIN CONCENTRATE AS A FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENT IN SURIMI SEAFOODS

Whey protein concentrates containing 33 or 72% protein were evaluated as functional ingredients to improve the textural properties of surimi seafoods made from Pacific whiting. The development of least cost for mulations of these products using nonlinear programming techniques was used to evaluate the economic viability of whey protein concentrate. Whey protein concentrate ingredients were promising because they remai ned economically competitive with potato starch and beef plasma protei n, which are commonly used as ingredients in whiting surimi seafoods. Factors affecting the amount of WPC in the least cost formulations wer e also reported.