Using salt and microbial transglutaminase as binding agents in restructured fish products resembling hams

Abstract

Restructured products were obtained from fish paste of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) by massaging and cooking in ham presses. Assayed were 3 levels of salt (0 as control, 1, or 2\%) and 3 levels of microbial transglutaminase (MTGase). Changes on solubility of pastes, mechanical properties, WHC, and SDS-PAGE of the cooked product were evaluated. MTGase needed the addition of NaCl to improve the mechanical properties of these restructured products. Better textural properties were obtained with 2\% NaCl. Adding 0.3\% of MTGase and 1\% NaCl obtained a low-salt, homogenous restructured meat block with 2773 g hardness, 29106 g/cm gel strength, 0.233 cohesiveness, and 11.6\% extracted water.