Microbial Transglutaminase Affects Gel Properties of Golden Threadfin‐bream and Pollack Surimi

The properties of surimi gels from threadfin‐bream and pollack surimi set at 30 °C or 45 °C with microbial transglutaminase (MTGase) from Streptoverticillium ladakanum were determined. The optimal amounts of MTGase and setting conditions were: 0.3 unit/g surimi either at 30 °C for 90 min or at 45 °C for 20 min for threadfin‐bream, and 0.2 unit/g surimi at 30 °C for 60 min for pollack. The strength of golden threadfin‐bream surimi gels with 0.35 unit MTGase set at 30 °C for 90 min or 45 °C for 20 min was 3400 g cm, almost 3‐fold of the control. SDS‐PAGE analyses indicated that inter‐ and/or intramolecular cross‐linking formed in the myosin heavy chain of MTGase‐containing surimi gels.