CAUSES OF INFERIOR GEL-FARMING ABILITY OF SALMON SURIMI PASTE

Salmon surimi has not been preferred commercially due to its poor gel formability resulting from the absence of setting response. The causes were investigated. It was found that the activity of transglutaminase extracted from the salmon surimi was too low to produce cross-inked m yosin polymers and to set gels. In addition, the contents of myosin an d Ca2+ were also lower than those in walleye pollack surimi. The inhib ition of protease activity did not enhance the polymerization of myosi n at all. Salmon actomyosin could be cross-linked in great extent by c arp transglutaminase and resulted in the gelation. Although the enzyme -induced set gel was formed from salmon actomyosin paste, carp transgl utaminase supplied to salmon surimi paste did not induce the myosin cr oss-linking nor did the gelation. This result suggests the presence of factors inhibiting the enzyme activity in the salmon surimi paste.