NUTRIENT COMPOSITION OF MECHANICALLY SEPARATED AND SURIMI-LIKE SEAL MEAT

The nutritional value of mechanically separated seal meat (MSSM) and MSSM washed with water or a sodium bicarbonate solution was compared with that of beef, pork, mechanically separated chicken meat (MSCM) and cod. The unwashed MSSM had a higher crude protein content (23-2%) and calculated PER (protein efficiency ratio) value (2-99) than other muscle foods. However, its essential amino acid index (EAA) value was similar to other meats. The caloric values of MSSM, MSCM, beef, pork and cod were 528, 612, 481, 479 and 344 kJ/100 g meat, respectively. Unwashed MSSM had a much larger content of B vitamins than meat from other animals. Calcium (591 mg%) and phosphorus (504 mg%) were the main minerals in MSSM, perhaps due to the presence of small bone particles in the samples. MSSM was a rich source of nutritionally available iron (18.5 mg%). Washings with water or a sodium bicarbonate solution increased the moisture and reduced the crude protein content of the resultant wet tissues. However, the protein content calculated on a dry weight basis was increased from 79-6% in unwashed MSSM to 82.2 and 80.1% after aqueous and bicarbonate washings, respectively. Meanwhile, the collagen content of MSSM was increased due to the above washings from 0.92% to 1-65 and 1.09% and the EAA values of products decreased from 116 to 104 and 113, respectively. The removal of lipids during washings with water or a sodium bicarbonate solution reduced the caloric value of the meat to 282 and 247 kJ/100 g sample.