Cao Hongwei, Li Huimin, Li Chuyan, Xu Yang, Zeng Tao, He Jun
College of Food Science and Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315832, PR China.
Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources (Poultry) Evaluation and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center for Poultry Breeding Industry and Green Farming Technology, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, PR China.
Int J Biol Macromol. 2025 Sep;322(Pt 1):146702. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.146702. Epub 2025 Aug 8.
This study investigated the effects of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) on myofibrillar protein (MP) gel properties, digestibility, and flavor-binding capacity. Results demonstrated that CMC significantly enhanced gel strength (106.51 g), water-holding capacity (77.57 %), and rheological properties of composite gels. CMC addition induced secondary structural conversion in MP, reducing α-helix content while increasing β-turn and β-sheet proportions. Concurrently, CMC incorporation induced the exposure of initially buried MP side-chain groups, strengthening intermolecular interactions and promoting gel network formation. Scanning electron microscopy revealed CMC-MP composite gels exhibited a dense, ordered three-dimensional network with uniform pore distribution, conferring enhanced mechanical properties and flavor adsorption capacity. Digestion experiments indicated CMC increased system viscosity and formed MP complexes, hindering enzyme diffusion via steric effects and promoting MP aggregation, thereby reducing digestibility and increasing product particle size. Molecular docking analysis revealed that CMC stably bound to myosin via hydrogen bonding (binding energy: -7.1 kcal/mol). This work establishes a theoretical foundation for CMC as a functional additive in meat processing.
本研究考察了羧甲基壳聚糖（CMC）对肌原纤维蛋白（MP）凝胶特性、消化率及风味结合能力的影响。结果表明，CMC显著提高了复合凝胶的凝胶强度（106.51 g）、持水能力（77.57%）及流变学特性。添加CMC导致MP二级结构转变，α-螺旋含量降低，β-转角和β-折叠比例增加。同时，加入CMC使原本埋藏的MP侧链基团暴露，增强了分子间相互作用，促进了凝胶网络形成。扫描电子显微镜显示，CMC-MP复合凝胶呈现出致密、有序的三维网络，孔径分布均匀，赋予了增强的力学性能和风味吸附能力。消化实验表明，CMC增加了体系黏度并形成MP复合物，通过空间位阻效应阻碍酶扩散，促进MP聚集，从而降低消化率并增大产物粒径。分子对接分析表明，CMC通过氢键与肌球蛋白稳定结合（结合能：-7.1 kcal/mol）。本研究为CMC作为肉类加工中的功能性添加剂奠定了理论基础。
