Physicochemical properties of Pacific whiting surimi as affected by various freezing and storage conditions

Effects of various freezing methods of surimi on the biochemical and physical properties, were examined. Stress values increased up to 3 mo and then decreased. Strain values significantly decreased over time, except freeze-dried surimi stored at -18 degreesC. Yellowness (b*) of the freeze-dried surimi stored at 22 degreesC increased significantly during storage. In addition, salt-extractable proteins (SEP) decreased while dimethylamine (DMA) increased. Freeze-dried surimi showed the highest SEP and the lowest DMA values after 9 mo storage. Electrophoretic patterns did not show any apparent damages to the MHC until 6 mo. At 6 and 9 mo, development of proteins with smaller molecular weights was observed, indicating proteolytic degradation during frozen storage.