Effects of ultra-high pressure and gellan gum on gelling properties of surimi from silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix

To improve the gelling properties of surimi, gellan gum was added to silver carp surimi, and then processed by ultra-high pressure (UHP). Surimi gel was formed after two-stage heating treatment. Its gel strength, whiteness and pH value were measured, respectively. The effects of pressure, time and gellan gum addition (mass percentage）on the gelling properties of silver carp surimi were studied. The results showed that there was no significant change in gel strength when pressure, time and gellan gum addition were more than 300 MPa, 10 min and 1.0%, respectively. The optimum conditions were as follows: 300 MPa pressure, 10 min time and 1.0% gellan gel addition. The effect order of UHP treatment conditions on gel strength was pressure > time > gellan gel addition. This study indicated that UHP treatment with gellan gel addition could modify the effect on the formation of silver carp surimi gel, and it also suggested that the two treatments exhibit a big potential for surimi processing.