Application of biopolymers for improving the glass transition temperature of hairtail fish meat

BACKGROUND Glass transition temperature ( T g ) and food moisture content are closely related, especially in foods with a high moisture content, such as surimi products. In order to improve storage condition and maintain food quality, the influence of six biopolymers on the T g of hairtail fish meat paste was investigated by differential scanning colorimetry. RESULTS Samples were stored at −8 °C (> T g ), −14 °C ( T g ) and −18 °C (< T g ) for 105 days. The results showed that trehalose, maltodextrin and xanthan could obviously improve the T g of the hairtail fish meat paste. Trehalose at 4.1% (w/w), maltodextrin at 5.0% and xanthan at 0.41% were determined as the optimum amounts, with the predicted value of T g to be −14.1 °C. The total viable counts (TVC) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N) of samples stored at −14 and −18 °C were much lower and the gel strength and whiteness maintained much better than those of −8 °C. CONCLUSION Addition of biopolymers could effectively restrain the increase in TVC and TVB‐N, as well as the dropping of gel strength and whiteness of fish meat paste during storage. A mixture of the biopolymers could improve T g and showed great potential in the preservation of hairtail meat products. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry