Gelation characteristics of paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) surimi under different heating conditions

Gelation properties of paddlefish surimi were investigated with different h eating procedures. Without pre-incubation, gel strength of paddlefish surim i increased as temperature increased from 40 to 60 degrees C. Pre-incubatio n at 40 OC caused myosin degradation and reduced gel strength by 55% compar ed to the control. Pre-incubation at 70 degrees C followed by cooking at 90 degrees C produced gels with maximum strength. Isothermal heating between 40 and 50 degrees C produced theological transitions between 0 and 15 min. Beef plasma powder reduced myosin degradation and enhanced gelation of suri mi incubated around 40 degrees C. These results indicated that the gel-weak ening phenomenon in paddlefish surimi was due to the degradation of myosin by some endogenous protease(s).