Roles of Starch in Surimi Seafood: A Review

Abstract

Surimi seafood is a cooked gel product that utilizes fish protein from surimi to produce seafood analog products. Starch is the second most important ingredient used in the manufacture of surimi seafood due to its water holding ability and capacity to partially replace fish proteins while maintaining desired gel characteristics at a reduced cost. Typically, starch is added to surimi seafood formulations at 4-12%. Functional properties of surimi seafood to control wetness, stickiness, and/or thermal stability upon different storage and serving temperatures have been extensively studied using modified starches. There is a great need to review the role of starches in various applications of surimi seafood.

Effect of Rice Flour with Different Characteristics on Textural Properties of Heat-Induced Fish Meat Gels from Walleye Pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) without Preheating

“…The high amylose content of starch promotes retrogradation (Kim and Lee, 1987;Bao and Bergman, 2004). The amylose fraction in starch determines firmness of the gels, whereas amylopectin determines gel elasticity (Hunt et al, 2009). The setback on RVA is caused by retrogradation of starch, particularly amylose (Wani et al, 2011).…”

“…Starch is the major component of rice, accounting for approximately 80% of its total weight. Potato starch, corn starch, and wheat starch are the most popular additives used for surimi based products (Okada, 2008;Hunt et al, 2009). Japan imports most of the corn and wheat for starch production (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 2014a).…”

“…In addition, the swelling power (waterabsorbing ability) of starch is a major factor that influences the gelreinforcing effect (Yamashita and Yoneda, 1989;Yamazawa, 1991;Hunt et al, 2009). Furthermore, Hunt et al (2009 suggested that a starch granule containing a higher ratio of amylopectin to amylose improves gel strength compared with a starch granule of similar size with a lower ratio of amylopectin to amylose.…”

“…Starch is one of the main additives and is commonly added to these products at a level of 4% _ 12% (Hunt et al, 2009). Starch affects the textural properties of fish meat products because of its physico-chemical properties, such as water-holding capacity, and its mechanical strength during gelatinization upon heating (Yamashita and Yoneda, 1989;Yamazawa, 1991;Hunt et al, 2009).…”

Effects of Carrageenan on the Gelatinization of Salt-Based Surimi Gels

“…Surimi is defined as the deboned, water-washed, and minced fish meat with cryoprotectives such as sorbitol, sucrose and polyphosphates (Khan et al, 2003;Hunt et al, 2009). A mixture of fish meat protein and salt forms a three-dimensional protein network during the heating process due to crosslinking by the denaturation of protein molecules (Powrie and Tung, 1976;Kong et al, 1999aKong et al, , 1999b.…”