High pressure effects on gelation of surimi and turkey breast muscle enhanced by microbial transglutaminase

High pressure effects on the strength (stress) and elasticity/ deformability (strain) of surimi and turkey breast meat gels containing microbial transglutaminase (TGase) were evaluated. Pressurization of muscle proteins at 4 degrees C prior to incubation at 25 degrees C or 40 degrees C (setting) increased gel strength 2-3 fold in uncooked surimi gels, but not in uncooked turkey gels. However, pressurization at 40 degrees C or 50 degrees C prior to setting increased the strength of turkey gels. Similar effects of prior pressurization, but of lesser magnitude, occurred in gels formed by directly or subsequently (following setting) cooking at 90 degrees C, SDS-PAGE confirmed that myosin crosslinking occurred due to TGase activity during the setting treatment, which had survived prior pressure treatment. High pressure rendered protein substrates more accessible to TGase thereby enhancing intermolecular cross-link formation and gel strength.