Nidhi
In the case of unprocessed fish meat the intrinsic factors that affect water holding capacity (WHC) are protein content and pH. Protein content does not differ much between and within species, but post mortem pH does. The higher the pH, the greater the WHC. Typically tunas have low pH's around 6.0, compared with demersal fish, around 6.8. Some additives, especially salt and condensed phosphates, polyphosphates, increase WHC. Condensed polyphophates are alkaline, but they have a specific effect on increasing WHC independently of any effect of increasing pH.
Heat processing, which I assume is your particular interest, will reduce the capacity of muscle to hold water and as you are well aware there is a release of water on cooking. I can not find among the papers and texts I have any information on the effects of pH and additives on the amount of water loss on cooking or on the effects of these factors on the WHC of heat processed muscle.
I am not aware of a review of WHC of fish muscle, though there are many papers in research journals on effects of processing and of additives on WHC. WHC is important in meat, red meat and poultry, handling and processing and you will probably find good accounts of WHC of muscle proteins in textbooks of meat and poutry science.
Peter Howgate
----- Original Message -----
From: Nidhi Ramlogun
To: Seafood@ucdavis.edu
Sent: Monday, November 10, 2003 8:22 AM
Subject: variables affecting water holding capacity of fish meat
Hello list members,
Could you please direct me to some references as to what variables affect water holding capacity of fish meat and how it occurs or please share any information you might have?
Looking forward to your feedback,
Kind regards,
Nidhi Ramlogun
Chief Chemist
Princes Tuna Mauritius Limited
P.O. Box 131
Port Louis
Mauritius
Tel: 230 206 9000
Fax: 230 249 2300
e.mail: ramlogun@princestuna.com
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