Evaluation of various infused cryoprotective ingredients for their freeze-thaw stabilizing and texture improving properties in frozen red hake muscle.

Various cryoprotective ingredients were evaluated for their freeze-thaw stabilizing and texture improving properties during 6-mo frozen storage when red hake (Urophycis chuss) fillets were injected with sorbitol-sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) (40% to 60% : 3%), 1.5% alginate, or 0.75% alginate with soy protein isolate (SPI)-sorbitol-STPP (5% to 10% : 40% : 3%). Injection of 10% SPI, 1.5% alginate, or 0.75% alginate-5% SPI effectively improved water binding and retarded the freeze-induced texture changes when drip and cooking loss, centrifugal expressible moisture, protein extractability, SDS-PAGE profile, and Instron and sensory texture were assessed. The sorbitol and STPP combination was not as effective as alginate and SPI. Freeze-susceptible whitefish can be injected with proper cryoprotective ingredients for improved frozen storability.