Setting of Actomyosin Paste Containing Few Amount of Transglutaminase.

The setting of actomyosin (AM) pastes from which transglutaminase (TGase) was virtually removed was investigated for various species. The breaking force of most AM pastes was increased by setting at 30°C for 2.5 or 5.0h. This increment was most notable in the order of red barracuda, Hobo gurnard, cutlass fish>yellowfin tuna>sardine, bottom threadfin-bream, Spanish mackerel>stingray, bluefin tuna, grey mullet, puffer, carp, common mackerel, saury pike, black scraper, dolphin fish, red bulleye>chicken, pork, and beef. The correlation coefficient was 0.36 between the breaking force of the set gel formed after 2.5h and TGase activity (0.00-0.04nmol/mg), and 0.34 for the gel formed after 5.0h. This suggests that even AM from which the TGase has been removed still holds species-specificity for the setting ability, or in other words, that this ability is an inherent property of the AM itself from each species.