THERMO-IRREVERSIBLE CHARACTERISTICS OF CURDLAN GELS IN A MODEL REDUCED FAT PORK SAUSAGE

Dynamic viscoelasticity and thermal characteristics of a model reduced fat pork sausage containing curdlan were investigated. Curdlan formed thermoirreversible gels during preparation of sausage at end point te mperatures that were within the range in which such gels usually trans form from thermoreversible to thermoirreversible. Dynamic viscoelastic ity of curdlan gels and thermal characteristics of curdlan aqueous sus pensions were analyzed to help explain the physicochemical behavior of curdlan gels in sausage. Once formed curdlan gels exhibited stronger thermoirreversibility with increasing concentrations, The thermoirreve rsibility could be attributed to the curdlan concentration being highe r than the maximum theoretical curdlan to water ratio.