Effect of electron irradiation on the gel properties of Collichthys lucidus surimi

This study evaluated the effect of electron irradiation on the gel properties of Collichthys lucidus surimi. The results showed that irradiation decreased the trichloroacetic acid-soluble peptide content of the surimi gel. At 5 kGy, a more compact and ordered gel network structure was achieved, resulting in a higher gel strength, whiteness, and water-holding capacity than non-irradiated surimi gel. During heat induced formation of the gel, the alpha-helix content decreased, whilst the beta-sheet and beta-turn content increased. Irradiation treatments also decreased the alpha-helix content and increased beta-sheet content, and this transformation is beneficial for the protein denaturation and gel formation. Collectively, the results suggest that electron irradiation, at an optimal dose of 5 kGy, could be an effective method for application in the surimi manufacturing industry (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.