Studies on Jelly Strength of Kamaboko-VIII

The enhancing effects of starch on the jelly strength of kamabokos made from lizard fish producing strong jelly and those of shark affording relatively weak one, have been compared. The jelly strength of non-starch kamaboko made from the latter was shifted by addition of water, but that of the former scarecely affected. When various amounts of starch were added to their ground muscles, the jelly strength of the products from lizard fish containing a small amount of water increased slightly with increasing starch, but in further addition of water rather decreased with increasing starch. It is probable that, although the strength of the products having a large amount of starch and a small amount of water was apparently intensive in strength owing to the hardness of starch paste, when a large amount of water was added, the own strength of fish muscle itself in place of starch paste should be shown. Lizard fish muscle having the higher jelly strength, therefore, seems to be decreased in its proper strength by the interference of starch paste. On the contrary, in the shark kamaboko which jelly strength largely depend upon the stiffness of starch paste, its strength was intensified with increasing addition of starch and decreased with increasing water. These facts seem to be attributable to the different content of soluble proteins in their fishes; lizard fish contains much soluble proteins and shark a less amount of them. Since ground lizard fish muscle may increase in amount of soluble proteins with increasing water, its strength would not be influenced so much by addition of starch and water, while in kamaboko from shark which may decrease in the concentration of soluble proteins in accordance with addition of water, its strength would be decreased and be influenced by starch paste with increasing water.