Abstract BACKGROUND Surimi processing offers an effective approach to utilizing sturgeon meat, a by‐product of caviar production. Rinsing is a key unit operation for improving surimi quality by removing water‐soluble impurities; however, conventional multi‐cycle rinsing is water intensive and generates large volumes of wastewater. This study compared traditional rinsing cycles (0–3 cycles, R0–R3) with a three‐stage countercurrent rinsing process (CR) to evaluate their effects on the quality and frozen storage stability of surimi sol prepared from hybrid sturgeon ( Acipenser baerii × Acipenser schrenckii ). RESULTS Rinsing reduced water‐soluble components (WSC) and lipids, enriched salt‐soluble proteins (SSP), and improved whiteness. Compared with R0, the WSC removal efficiency reached 30.9% at R2 and then plateaued in R3 (34.3%) and CR (33.8%). Similarly, the SSP enrichment rate increased to 35.6% at R2 and remained at comparable levels in R3 (35.1%) and CR (35.9%). During frozen storage, CR performed similarly to R2 and R3 in suppressing protein oxidation and denaturation, as evidenced by maintained total sulfhydryl content, limited carbonyl accumulation, and preserved Ca 2+ ‐ATPase activity and SSP content. Spectroscopic and electrophoretic analyses further supported reduced conformational disruption and aggregation of surimi sol proteins. Furthermore, CR exhibited favorable rheological properties and produced gels with desirable texture, restricted water mobility, and a fine microstructure. CONCLUSION CR achieved purification efficiency and gel performance comparable to R2 and R3, and approached R3 in preserving protein integrity during extended storage. Using only one third of the freshwater required for R3, CR provides a practical, resource‐efficient strategy for sturgeon surimi production. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.
Jiang et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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