Physiochemical, microstructure and bioactive characterization of gels made from crayfish protein

Abstract

Crayfish proteins are valuable active ingredients for food products, mainly due to its protein quality and antioxidant activity. A highly soluble crayfish protein concentrate (CF2L) obtained from crayfish surpluses was used to evaluate gelling properties at three different pH values (2.0, 6.5 and 8.0). Thermal gelation processes were monitored by Small Amplitude Oscillatory Shear (SAOS) measurements. Subsequently, gels were characterized by viscoelastic properties, water-holding capacity (WHC) and a selective solubility. All the systems exhibited a gel-like behavior, showing a strong dependence on pH.

Antioxidant measurements were performed by using three different reagents (DPPH, ABTS and Folin-Ciocalteu) and revealed an interesting potential for human food. The pH effect was evaluated, showing a remarkable dependence of ABTS on its value.

The results show that gels made from crayfish surpluses have potential for use in human nutrition, not only based on the physical properties, but also on its protein quality and antioxidant ability.