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PROPERTIES OF SURIMI MADE FROM TILAPIA
Yao-wen Huang
Center for Food Safety and Quality Enhancement
Department of Food Science and Technology
University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602
Hussein A. Abdel-Aal and Awad H. Awad
Department of Food Science and Dairy Technology
El Minia University
El Minia, Egypt
INTRODUCTION
Surimi is a Japanese Term for mechanically deboned fish meat washed with water and mixed
with cryoprotectants. Washing step removes water-soluble proteins, fats and undesirable materials
such as blood, pigments, and odorous substances, enzymes, and trimethylamine oxide (TMAO). It
increases the concentration of myofibrilla proteins (actomyosin), which improve gel-forming ability
and elasticity (Lee, 1984; Okada, 1985).
Surimi is an intermediate product for further production of fabricated seafood products such
as imitation crab legs, scallops, and shrimp. It can be substituted for a variety of traditional animal
and vegetable proteins (Lee, 1984; Wu, 1992). The overall amino acid score of surimi is similar to
those of beef and turkey (AFDF, 1987).
At present time, 90% surimi is made from Alaska pollack with small amounts made from
croakers and sharks (Piggot, 1986). Little efforts have been made to produce surimi from freshwater
species. Tilapia is the most important freshwater aquaculture species worldwide. In Egypt, this fish
is abundant and low market value. Consumption of fish in Egypt is not very high. Processed fish
products are very limited. To use these species, the objectives of this study were (1) to determine
the yield and chemical quality and (2) to exam the functional properties of smimi made from tilapia.
Preparation of tilapia surimi
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Forty-five kg of life tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), averaging 30.85 cm in length and
4564.008 in weight, were obtained from Dekalb Farmers Market, Atlanta, Georgia. Fish were
removed from a water tank and filleted. Both fillets and fi-ames were packed on ice and transported
to Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. Surimi was
prepared from fillets and frames using the method of Park et al(l990) with some modification (Figs.
1 and 3). Minced meat was recovered from fillets and frames using a deboner (Yanagiya Machinery
Works, Ltd. Japan) with a 4-mm hole drum. The minced fish were immediately washed four times