Mince gels with hydrocolloids and salts: composition/function relationships and discrimination of functionality by multivariate analysis

Multivariate statistical methods were applied to gelling properties (mechan ical, water holding capacity, and color) of blue whiting mince with varying combinations of hydrocolloids and different ranges of salts. Factor analys is identified five principal components which accounted for over 90% of the data variance. The role of the salts in the various functional properties was independent of the hydrocolloid used. The most important contributor wa s CaCl2, present in the first three factors, which negatively affected most of the target parameters and positively influenced elasticity and lightnes s. KCI and NaCl appeared to have a less drastic effect on the studied prope rties: they presented high factor loadings in the fourth and fifth principa l components, respectively. Three clusters were obtained: 1) locust bean an d guar gum; 2) carrageenans (iota and kappa), carboxymethylcellulose and so dium alginate; and 3) xanthan gum. Basically, breaking deformation and hard ness were the variables that best discriminated in 96.4% of cases.