Effects of Agaricus bisporus on gel properties of chicken myofibrillar protein

Summary The gel‐forming ability of myofibrillar protein (MP) is highly correlated with the characteristics of emulsified meat products. Incorporation of Agaricus bisporus (Ab) powder into MP gels may enhance its gel properties to facilitate the development of a novel and safe meat product. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of Ab powder on gel strength, water holding capacity (WHC), texture, rheological behaviour, LF‐NMR spin–spin relaxation (T 2 ), microstructure and protein secondary structure of the MP gel system. The results indicated that the gel strength, WHC, G' value and G" value were significantly improved when the addition of Ab powder increased from 0% to 6% ( P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the T 2 relaxation time was shortened, and free water was transformed into immobilised water. The texture of the gel was improved when 1%–4% Ab powder was added compared to the control. Furthermore, Ab filled in the gel network and promoted the unfolding of MP α‐helix and the formation of MP β‐sheet during the thermal denaturation of MP, leading to a dense aggregated network structure. The study suggested that Ab could be a promising ingredient in improving chicken MP's gel properties and developing fat‐reduced meat products.