Effect of electron irradiation on the gel properties of Collichthys lucidus surimi

This study evaluated the effect of electron irradiation on the gel properties of Collichthys lucidus surimi. The results showed that irradiation decreased the trichloroacetic acid-soluble peptide content of the surimi gel. At 5 kGy, a more compact and ordered gel network structure was achieved, resulting in a higher gel strength, whiteness, and water-holding capacity than non-irradiated surimi gel. During heat-induced formation of the gel, the α-helix content decreased, whilst the β-sheet and β-turn content increased. Irradiation treatments also decreased the α-helix content and increased β-sheet content, and this transformation is beneficial for the protein denaturation and gel formation. Collectively, the results suggest that electron irradiation, at an optimal dose of 5 kGy, could be an effective method for application in the surimi manufacturing industry