High Hydrostatic Pressure and Heat Treatment Effects on Physicochemical Characteristics of Albacore Tuna (Thunnus alalunga) Minced Muscle

ABSTRACT

High Pressure Processing (HPP) run at 275 and 310 MPa for 2, 4, and 6 min and heat treatments at 90°C for 35 min were applied to minced albacore muscle (Thunnus alalunga). Effects on protein solubility, thermal stability, total sulfhydryls and fluid retention were measured. Treatments reduced (p < 0.05) protein solubility, with heat showing an 89% reduction versus 60.3 ± 5.3% reduction for HPP treatments. HPP increased thermal stability of most proteins, shifting their endotherms towards higher temperatures, but only myosin showed an enthalpy change higher than control. Heated proteins did not exhibit an endotherm peak indicating total protein denaturation and showed less total sulfhydryl content and the highest liquid holding capacity (p < 0.05).

Key Words:

• High pressure processing
• albacore muscle
• DSC
• protein solubility