Effect of chitin and chitosan on gelling properties of surimi from barred garfish (Hemiramphus far)

The addition of chitin/chitosan significantly increased the breaking force and deformation of gels prepared from barred garfish surimi (P < 0.05). Add ition of 7B chitosan with 65.6% degree of deacetylation (% DD) at the level of 15 mg g(-1) resulted in the maximum increases in both breaking force an d deformation of suwari and kamaboko gels compared to the control and gels containing chitin or chitosan with other % DD (P < 0.05). A chitosan concen tration of 10 mg g(-1) was found to render the highest breaking force of ka maboko gel compared to other concentrations tested (P < 0.05). Kamaboko gel containing chitosan had an increased breaking force as the calcium chlorid e concentration increased (P < 0.05), indicating the role of endogenous tra nsglutaminase in cross-linking of protein-protein and protein-chitosan conj ugates. Therefore the incorporation of chitosan and calcium chloride greatl y improved the gelling properties of surimi from barred garfish without cha nges in colour. (C) 2000 Society of Chemical Industry.