Physicochemical characteristics of surimi-like material made from the muscle tissues of freshwater mussels (Sinanodonta woodiana Lea, 1834)

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine selected characteristics of surimi-like material (SLM) made from the muscle tissues of Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834) freshwater mussels. The research material consisted of unwashed mussel muscle homogenate as the control sample—C, mussel muscle tissue twice washed with water (SLM-W) and sample washed with NaCl at a concentration of 0.169 mol/L as well as water (SLM–S). A raw control sample and surimi like-materials were analysed using the SDS-PAGE technique. They were also tested using the DMTA method (dynamic mechanical thermal analysis) while heating the samples up to 80 °C and cooling to 20 °C. The thermal drip and texture of gels after heating (75 °C, 30 min) were also determined. The washing procedure had a significant impact on the protein composition of the SLMs. A significantly (p < 0.05) higher percentage of proteins with molecular weights of 270–273 kDa and 105–110 kDa (corresponding to specific filamin isoforms), as well as 42–43 kDa (corresponding to actin), were found in the SLMs compared to sample C. Ccorrelation analysis confirmed a strong positive relationship between the percentage share of the above proteins and the values of the elasticity modulus (r ≥ 0.84) and firmness (r ≥ 0.88) of SLM gels. The SLM-S sample was characterised by the lowest significant (p < 0.05) thermal drip values. During heating, the rheological traits of all samples changed at two stages: from 20 to 50 °C and over 50 °C. The highest dynamics of variation in the elasticity modulus (G′) value were noticed at temperatures exceeding 50 °C in all samples. The G′ values in the SLM samples were significantly greater than the values in sample C. The analysis revealed a strong correlation (r ≥ 0.81) between the determinants of the texture of the SLM samples and their rheological parameters. Sample SLM-W was the one with the highest firmness and elasticity values. The analysis showed that the textural properties of the SLM samples mainly resulted from the reaction of spatial matrices to mechanical interactions.