Thermal Transitions of Actomyosin and Surimi Prepared from Atlantic Croaker as Studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to investigate thermal transitions of fish mince (surimi) and actomyosin from croaker. Three endothermic peaks were observed in DSC thermograms of surimi. After addition of salt, transition temperatures shifted to lower temperatures. Preheating samples containing 3% salt at various temperatures showed that 40°C heating caused the first peak to disappear, and preheating at temperatures higher than 50°C caused virtual disappearance of all transition peaks. Low temperature storage (4°C) of samples caused no significant change in thermograms of salted or unsalted surimi over a 5‐day storage period. Evidence suggests that changes of fish protein during low temperature “setting” are different from those occurring during high temperature “setting.”