Roles of k-carrageenan, locust bean gum, and transglutaminase on textural and rheological characteristics of plant-based fishball analogues

Plant protein-based fishball analogues have the potential to contribute to sustainable and alternative protein sources, helping to alleviate the burden of overfishing. However, there is a lack of products that are sensory and nutritionally comparable to commercial fishballs. This study evaluated the impact of mTGase (microbial transglutaminase) and hydrocolloid addition on the texture, microstructure, and sensory properties of mung bean protein-based fishballs. The addition of 1 % mTGase significantly improved texture and water-holding capacity, reducing expressible moisture to 24 % and increasing hardness to 474.69 g. κ-Carrageenan (0.3 %) further enhanced these properties with expressible moisture at 19.55 % and hardness at 794.16 g. The addition of 0.13 % LBG (locust bean gum) with 1 % mTGase increased expressible moisture and reduced gel hardness. Nutritional analysis of mung bean protein-based fishballs formulated with 0.3 % κ-carrageenan, 1 % mTGase, and 0.13 % LBG revealed a higher protein content (12.3 g) and lower carbohydrate content (3 g) compared to conventional surimi products. Sensory evaluation with 61 participants showed high acceptability for mung bean protein-based fishballs, with mean scores of 6.38 for appearance, 6.08 for texture, and 6.02 for overall liking. The results suggest that mung bean protein-based fishballs, optimized with mTGase, LBG, and κ-carrageenan, offer a nutritious and appealing plant-based alternative, meeting consumer preferences for healthy and sustainable food options.