Effects of High-pressure Combined with Liquid Immersion Freezing on Selected Physicochemical Properties of Bighead Carp (Hypophthalmichthys Nobilis) Surimi
摘要
Recently, surimi processing industries have been seeking efficient strategies to inhibit quality deterioration in surimi products during freezing. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of air freezing (AF), liquid immersion freezing (LIF), and high-pressure (100, 200, 300 MPa) combined with LIF on the gel properties, freezing characteristics, water mobility, and microstructure of bighead carp surimi gel. The gel strength in the 300 + LIF group was 1.9 times higher than that of the control group and 3.6 times greater than that of the AF group. The water-holding capacity of the 300 + LIF group increased significantly, by 2.06% and 17.76%, respectively, compared with the control and AF groups. Additionally, the average ice crystal diameter in the 300 + LIF group decreased by 59.26% and 35.52% compared to the AF and LIF groups, respectively. Meanwhile, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) results demonstrated that the 300 + LIF treatment increased the content of unfrozen water in surimi gel, enhancing the binding interactions between proteins and water, thereby facilitating greater water retention in the gel network. Compared with AF and LIF, the high-pressure combined with LIF treatment significantly reduced the quality degradation of frozen gels. The 300 + LIF treatment promoted the formation of β-sheets and a more uniform network structure, enhancing the initial properties of surimi gels.