Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate physicochemical properties of protein concentrate from skipjack tuna roe by a cook-dried (boiled or steamed-dried) process, and to evaluate their food functional properties. The yields of boil-dried concentrate (BDC) and steam-dried concentrate (SDC) prepared from skipjack tuna roe were 22.4 for BDC and 24.4% for SDC. Their protein yields were 16.8 and 18.4%, respectively. In terms of major minerals of the BDC and SDC, sulfur (853.2 and 816.6 mg/100 g) exhibited the highest levels followed by potassium, sodium and phosphorus. The prominent amino acids of roe protein concentrates (RPCs) were Glu, Asp, Leu and Val. The BDC and SDC showed a higher buffer capacity than egg white (EW) at the pH-shift range. The pH-shift treatment significantly improved the water holding capacities of RPCs, except pH 6. But they had a low solubility across the pH-shift range. The foaming capacities (104%-119%) of BDC and SDC were significantly lower than those of EW (p < .05), and their foam stabilities were not observed. Emulsifying activity index (m2/g protein) of RPCs and EW was 2.3 for BDC, 11.1 for SDC and 18.0 for EW. RPCs in the food and seafood processing industries will be available as egg white alternative protein sources and will be available as ingredients of surimi-based products in particular.