Thermal gelling properties and structural properties of myofibrillar protein including thermo-reversible and thermo-irreversible curdlan gels

This study investigated the gelling and structural properties of composite gels prepared with myofibrillar protein (MP) and different concentrations of thermo-reversible curdlan gels (TRC) and thermo-irreversible curdlan gels (TIRC). The gel strength, water holding capacity, and whiteness of MP gels were significantly increased with increasing TRC and TIRC content (P < 0.05). Dynamic rheological testing upon temperature sweeping indicated that the G' and G″ values of MP were significantly enhanced with added TRC or TIRC, which were positively related to the lower particle size of composite MP sols. Moreover, the presence of TRC or TIRC changed the secondary structure of MP gels, as well as altered the tertiary structure of MP sols. The micrographs of MP gels indicated that TRC prompted the formation of more dense and stable protein matrix. Our results revealed that TRC or TIRC had distinctive effects on the gelling properties and secondary structure of MP.