Effects of fish oil incorporation on the gelling properties of silver carp surimi gel subjected to microwave heating combined with conduction heating treatment

Abstract To understand the oil-protein interaction in silver carp surimi gel under microwave irradiation, the effects of fish oil (FO) incorporation on the gelling and microstructural properties of surimi gel subjected to microwave heating combined with conduction heating were investigated. Although FO incorporation into surimi gel disrupted the protein matrix, thereby decreasing ( P P P 2 relaxation analysis confirmed that microwave heating facilitated the retention of water trapped in the protein network. The scanning electron microscope images revealed that microwave heating promoted the oil-protein interaction and triggered a more compact gel microstructure. Although lipid oxidation that inevitably occurred after FO enrichment of surimi gel increased, and the malondialdehyde content was effectively increased ( P