STABILITY OF COD (GADUS-MORHUA L) SURIMI PROCESSED WITH CACL2 AND MGCL2 ADDED TO THE WASH WATER

Washing cod mince in water containing both CaCl2 and MgCl2 improves th e functional properties of the resultant surimi. Gel strength, frozen shelf-life, and colour, important quality factors for the further proc essing of surimi, were measured after different heat setting regimes f or surimi pastes prepared with or without CaCl2 and MgCl2 addition. Th e surimi was stored frozen for up to 12 months. The positive effect of setting at low temperatures was far more pronounced when the surimi w as processed with 7.5 mM CaCl2 and 15 mM MgCl2 added to the wash water . After 12 months of frozen storage, the gel strength of the salt-wash ed surimi was reduced, but was still higher than the control. The ligh tness of the cooked surimi model product was reduced when salt-washed. The positive effect of the ions was abolished when lysine, an inhibit or of transglutaminase, was included. Hence, the positive effect of Ca 2+ and Mg+2 ions on the functional properties of surimi may be caused by a transglutaminase-type enzyme present in cod mince.