INFLUENCE OF TEXTURE OF SUWARI GELS ON KAMABOKO GELS MADE FROM SARDINE (SARDINA-PILCHARDUS) SURIMI

The textural characteristics and water holding capacity of suwari (set ) and kamaboko (set and cooked) sardine surimi gels were examined in o rder to clarify the influence of the initial network formed in setting conditions (25, 35 and 40 degrees C for 30 and 60 min) on the texture of the kamaboko gels. Although the texture of suwari gels set at 35 d egrees C improved with longer setting, both setting times ensured kama boko gels with the highest gel strength. Suwari gels set at 25 degrees C also improved with longer setting but the gel strength of both suwa ri and kamaboko gels was lower than at 35 degrees C. For gels set at 4 0 degrees C prolonged setting weakened the suwari networks formed, lea ding to kamaboko gels with poorer textural characteristics.