This study investigated the effect of gum arabic (GA) combined with microbial transglutaminase (TG) on the functional properties of porcine myofibrillar protein (MP). As an indicator of functional property, heat-set gel and emulsion characteristics of MP treated with GA and/or TG were explored under varying NaCl concentrations (0.1-0.6 M). The GA improved thermal gelling ability of MP during thermal processing and after cooling, and concomitantly added TG assisted the formation of viscoelastic MP gel formation. Meanwhile, the addition of GA decreased cooking yield of MP gel at 0.6 M NaCl concentration, and the yield was further decreased by TG addition, mainly attributed by enhancement of protein-protein interactions. Emulsion characteristics indicated that GA had emulsifying ability and the addition of GA increased the emulsification activity index (EAI) of MP-stabilized emulsion. However, GA showed a negative effect on emulsion stability, particularly great drop in the emulsion stability index (ESI) was found in GA treatment at 0.6 M NaCl. Consequently, the results indicated that GA had a potential advantage to form a viscoelastic MP gel. For the practical aspect, the application of GA in meat processing had to be limited to the purposes of texture enhancer such as restructured products, but not low-salt products and emulsion-type meat products.
Keywords: functional properties; gum arabic; ionic strength; myofibrillar; transglutaminase.