Effects of proteolysis and oxidation on mechanical properties of sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus) during thermal processing and storage and their control.

The effects of endogenous proteolysis and oxidation on mechanical properties of sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus) during thermal processing and storage and their control were investigated. The lactic acid (LA) + tea polyphenols (TP)-treated sea cucumbers showed relatively higher values in texture and rheological indicators than the blank control group after thermal processing. By contrast, the (LA + TP)-treated sea cucumbers also had lower values in water-soluble hydroxyproline, glycosaminoglycans and proteins, trichloroacetic acid-soluble peptide content, and more orderly secondary structure of proteins, indicating that the additives affected the mechanical properties of thermally processed sea cucumbers by preventing the proteolysis of proteins. All texture and rheological indicators of thermally processed sea cucumbers decreased time-dependently during chilled storage. The additives (LA + TP) significantly prevented the progressive deterioration in mechanical properties by retarding the changes in microstructure as well as phase state and distribution of water through preventing protein oxidation.