Effect of Water Washing on the Functional Properties of Fish Meat

To know the effect of water washing on functional properties of meat four different species like sardine, mackerel, pink perch and croaker were used. Meat to water ratio used for washing was 1:3 oil sardine and mackerel; but for pink perch and croaker, meat to water ratio was 1:2. Again the washing process was repeated three times for oil sardine and mackerel; but two times for pink perch and croaker. The studied functional properties were solubility, gel strength, expressible water, emulsion capacity, reduced viscosity, water and fat absorption capacity. The gel strength of fresh meat of sardine, mackerel, pink perch and croaker were 259.67, 280.61, 401.72 and 410.45 g-cm respectively. But, after washing the value of gel strength increased 17% on an average. The value of emulsion capacity and reduced viscosity were increased also. But other properties were decreased after washing.