Effects of oleogels prepared with fish oil and beeswax on the gelation behaviors of protein recovered from Alaska Pollock

In this study, the effects of three groups of oleogels comprising 10 wt% beeswax as the gelator and different proportions of rapeseed and fish oils on the structures of surimi gels were investigated. X-ray diffraction revealed that the crystal structures of the oleogels were mainly dependent on the presence of the beeswax, where the oleogels formed via molecular association into crystalline structures. Texture profile analysis indicated that all studied oleogels comprehensively improved the textures of the surimi gels. The water holding capacities of the oleogel based surimi gels were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of the control samples obtained by the direct addition of liquid oil. However, the whiteness of the gels decreased significantly because of the yellow color of the beeswax. Rheological studies confirmed that the protein in the oleogel based surimi gel had a higher degree of cross linking than that of the control group, and its network structure was more stable. Finally, scanning electron microscopy observations indicated different degrees of compactness and uniformity among the surimi gel networks. Overall, the oleogels with added beeswax significantly improved the structures of the surimi gels. These findings could broaden the range of oils used in food products.

Automated summary

The study showed that oleogels with added beeswax significantly improved the structures of surimi gels by enhancing texture and water holding capacities, though they might reduce the whiteness of the gels.