The effect of heating factors on the properties of heat-induced surimi gel under ohmic heating

Ohmic heating (OH) is a method that heat is generated within the food due to its electrical resistance, resulting in a relatively linear heating rate and uniform temperature distribution. Because surimi-based paste contains water and salts, the conductivity is sufficiently good for the ohmic effect. Gelation induced by OH greatly depends on heating conditions such as heating speed, heating time, or electrical conductivity. However, the detailed information obtained is quite limited. Therefore, in order to clarify how ohmic heating affects the physical properties of surimi gel under OH, gels from croaker surimi (SA grade) were obtained using different heating conditions (heating speed, heating time, or salt concentration - electrical conductivity). Furthermore, the gels heated by ohmic heating were compared with the gel obtained by conventional water-bath heating. The results showed that, at the same heating rates, higher salt concentration generated better surimi gels for croaker surimi. Gels cooked ohmically at a slow heating rate performed significantly better than those cooked at a fast heating rate or heated conventionally in a water bath. There was little discernible difference in protein pattern between gels heated by OH and conventional water bath heating at fast heating rates with two different salt concentrations. The results also indicated that holding time at target temperature showed no effect on the gel. These results suggested that the properties of heat-induced surimi gels by OH are affected by not only heating speed but also holding time at maximum temperature and salt content.