Texture profile of surimi-like material from mechanically deboned turkey meat

Abstract

Abstract The study aimed to evaluate the textural properties of turkey surimi-like (TSL) gels from mechanically deboned turkey meat (MDTM) by washing procedures. The effects of water, sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and potassium phosphate buffer washing solutions, cycles, and salt addition were investigated. Sodium bicarbonate washing solution produced lightened and whitened cooked gels. Addition of salt reduced (p < 0.05) cooking loss and increased (p < 0.05) hardness and chewiness. TSL gels from sodium bicarbonate had the lowest (p < 0.05) cooking loss and hardness, and increased (p < 0.05) adhesiveness after two washing cycles. Scanning electron micrographs showed fine-stranded gel structures formed at low ionic strength and coarsely aggregated gel structures at high ionic strength. Salt addition improved the TSL gelling properties. Two washing cycles of MDTM with sodium bicarbonate solution generate high-quality colorless gels of TSL with proper textural properties and could be suggested as an alternative meat source in the manufacturing of surimi-based foodstuffs.