51A-27

K. PACHECO, W. Prinyawiwatkul, V. Suvanich, W. J. Lyon, and I. Maciel-Pedrote. Department of Food Science, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Baton Rouge, LA 70803

Minced meat mechanically recovered from cooked undersized crawfish and raw catfish frames can be used to prepare seafood sausages. However, lack of binding properties of crawfish mince as a result of protein denaturation during cooking and frozen storage necessitates addition of functional protein binders into sausage formulations. Incorporating functional binders into seafood sausages affects eating quality. This study was conducted to determine physico-chemical and microbial properties of seafood sausages as affected by various protein binders. Four protein binders: whey protein concentrate (WPC), potato starch (PS), functional pork protein (FPP), and functional soy protein concentrate (FSPC) at 1, 3 and 5% addition were investigated. Mixture of crawfish and catfish mince was thoroughly mixed with protein binder, salt, sodium lactate and other ingredients, stuffed in natural sausage casings, linked, and cooked. Proximate compositions, moisture loss and fat gain, pH, expressible liquid, shear force and energy to break, CIE-L*a*b* color, and microbial counts were determined. Two experimental production batches were performed. Data were analyzed using Statistical Analysis System. Cooked sausages contained 22.8-28.9% protein and 10.6-15.8% fat. PS (5%) exhibited the highest affinity for water (the least moisture loss and expressible liquid loss in cooked sausages), while FSPC (5%) exhibited the lowest affinity for fat (the least fat gain). Sausages containing 5% FSPC required the highest force to shear and energy to break. Addition of up to 5% FPP or PS significantly lowered internal color lightness (L*) of uncooked sausages, thus yielded darker products. Color redness (a*) of uncooked samples decreased with increased added %PS. Vibrio spp., E. coli, Coliform, and Listeria monocytogenes were not detectable in all raw and cooked sausages. This study demonstrated that a mixture of catfish and crawfish mince can be successfully used to formulate seafood sausages. Functional protein binders (type and addition level) affect the quality seafood sausages, particularly textural quality.