AXIAL-COMPRESSION PROPERTIES OF KAMABOKO

Kamaboko, gelled seafood product from frozen surimi, has distinctive textural properties. Characterization of those properties, using an integrated approach to rheological studies, was accomplished by means of an instrumental texture profile analysis and evaluation of resultant stress-strain relationships. The material had near-ideal area expansion even at compressions of 60% while retaining its highly elastic texture. Apparently the product did not yield through 80% compression. Hardness of the kamaboko at 80% compression was characterized by a local maximum at 37.5-degrees-C which may have been related to processing temperature of the initial surimi gel-set used in a double-gel-set procedure. Evaluation of stress-strain relationships confirmed the incompressible nature of the gel and showed relatively slight variations between the Young's modulus and the deformability modulus. The elastic limit of the kamaboko increased significantly as temperature increased from 25 to 50-degrees-C.