Effect of lipase incorporation on gelling properties of catfish (Clarias lazera) surimi and its mechanism.

Background: Recently, fatty fish have been utilized as a potential approach for the fabrication of surimi products, with the yield of fatty fish surimi being > 10 000 tons in 2019. However, the gelling properties of catfish surimi can be influenced by intermuscular lipid. Lipase could effectively enhance the gel quality of catfish surimi gels, although the chemical forces involved in gel formation and alteration in lipid and protein oxidation status are not well understood. The present study investigated the gelation-enhancing effects of lipase on catfish surimi based on changes in chemical oxidation interactions.

Results: The addition of 7.5 g kg lipase significantly increased the hydrophobic interactions and disulfide bond contents, both of which facilitated gel formation, in surimi gels. The 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substance and carbonyl concentrations demonstrated that lipase promoted lipid and protein oxidations. Furthermore, an appropriate dose of malondialdehyde accelerated protein oxidation, thereby resulting in the covalent cross-linking of proteins. Consequently, the gel strength increased from 55.72 to 127.71 g × cm with lipase contents of up to 7.5 g kg , and strong chemical cross-linking and a compact network were observed via sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and scanning electron microscopy. However, excessive oxidation led to the degeneration of the gel matrix. A schematic mechanism, mainly based on the chemical changes, is proposed.

Conclusion: The present study revealed the gelation mechanism of catfish surimi gels with lipase, and suggested that lipase treatments may be an effective approach for improving the textural properties of fatty fish surimi gels. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.