PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SURIMI AND BACTERIAL CELLULOSE COMPOSITE GEL

摘要

In this study, bacterial cellulose (BC) which has high water-absorptionabilitynwas added to dolphin-fish (mahi-mahi) surimi to assess the characteristicsnof composites gels. Twelve days of Gluconacetobacter xylinumn(BCRC12335) fermentation decreased the pH of this medium from 4.0 to 3.6,nwith nata growth on the surface reaching a thickness oSf about 0.7 cm. Alkalintreatment altered BC structure, creating a dense and porous network. Thisnalkali-treated nata (AT-nata) exhibited high water-holding capacity. The criticalnwater content (CWC) of rigidity for mahi-mahi surimi was around 80%nand, when surimi water content exceeded the CWC, we found a remarkablendecrease in both rigidity and gel strength of the heated surimi. The addition ofn5% AT-nata improved the gel strength of the 80% water content heated suriminpredominantly by enhancing its breaking force.