EFFECT OF MICROBIAL TRANSGLUTAMINASE ON THE QUALITY OF FROZEN SURIMI MADE FROM VARIOUS KINDS OF FISH SPECIES

The effects of microbial transglutaminase (MTGase) on fish muscles of seven kinds of fish-species were studied to increase the basic knowled ge of the preparation of the high quality frozen surimi. Because of th e full consideration of application, all tested samples were prepared in the surimi plants with the commercial manufacturing process. The te xtural properties of each surimi gel were measured by a punch force an d punch deformation. The condition of setting was defined at 30 C and for 60 min. The accuracy of the data of the punch test was investigate d by using the coefficient values of variation. The effects of MTGase on surimi gel varied with each fish species. The values of the punch f orce of all tested surimi gels increased with the addition of MTGase, but the values of punch deformation decreased with an addition of over 0.03% MTGase in general. Since, the value of the punch deformation is highly appraised by Kamaboko makers more than the punch force, about 0.03% of MTGase (1.1 unit/mg powder used) were recommended for the des irable concentration in the frozen surimi processing. However, there i s a recognizable differences in the two kinds of walleye pollock surim i. The results show that the increasing effect of MTGase is not only c ontrolled by the fish species but also by more complicated factors suc h as freshness of the raw fish.