Abstract: The physicochemical changes of sturgeon surimi during its gelation were studied by protein composition, water distribution, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, rheological analysis and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The results showed that during sturgeon surimi gelation, the proportion of salt-soluble protein and water-soluble protein decreased, and the proportion of insoluble protein increased. Myosin heavy chain and actin content decreased. The absorption peak of surimi protein was red-shifted near 1 100 cm－1. The T2 relaxation time of sturgeon surimi was distributed in four regions. Surimi gelation resulted in greater water binding force and higher viscoelasticity, which indicates that after rinsing, chopping and gelation, a dense gel network structure can be formed. This study provides a theoretical basis for further improving the quality of sturgeon surimi gel.

Key words: sturgeon surimi, gelation, formation process, physicochemical changes