Ultrasound-assisted processing: Changes in gel properties, water-holding capacity, and protein aggregation of low-salt Hypophthalmichthys molitrix surimi by soy protein isolate.

[Display omitted] • Ultrasound combined with SPI enhanced the hardness and strength of low-salt surimi gel. • Ultrasonic and SPI enhanced the WHC of the gel, and quicker the T 2b , T 21 and T 22. • Ultrasound and SPI improved salt-soluble protein content and transform α-helix to β-sheet. • The gel had tighter and smaller pores of ultrasound combined with SPI. The effects of ultrasound combined (25 kHz, 400 ± 20 W/L, ultrasonic time of 5, 10 and 15 min) with soy protein isolate processing on gelling properties of low-salt silver carp surimi, aggregation and conformation of myofibrillar protein were investigated. The results revealed that, compared with only adding soy protein isolate components, ultrasound-assisted soy protein isolate had a more obvious effect on the protein structure in low-salt surimi, leading to the decrease in α-helix and total sulfhydryl contents, and the increase in β-sheet content and protein solubility. As a result, more proteins participated in the formation of the gel network, and significant improvements in hardness, gel strength and water-holding capacity of the low-salt surimi gel were observed, while the myosin heavy chain in SDS-PAGE was weakened. The low-field NMR results showed that the initial relaxation time of T 2 was apparently shorter, the free water content decreased and the bound water content increased under the action of ultrasound. Scanning electron microscope observation found that the surimi gel treated by ultrasound exhibited smaller holes, and had a more stable and denser network structure. In conclusion, the results of our work demonstrated that ultrasound combined with soy protein isolate can significantly improve the gel quality properties of low-salt silver carp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]