348: Plant-Based Surimi: Evaluating Physicochemical and Nutritional Properties of Alternative Protein Combinations

Introduction

Surimi seafood is minced fish meat, typically made from Alaska pollock or Pacific Whiting in the US. With the rise of plant-based diets, concerns about animal welfare, and microplastic contamination in seafood, developing plant-based surimi has become a key research area. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate plant-based surimi formulations using different combinations of soy, pea, and mung bean proteins.

Methods

The plant-based surimi formulations (PBS1–PBS7) consisted of various protein sources: PBS1 (soy protein), PBS2 (pea protein), PBS3 (soy and pea protein at 4.5% each), PBS4 (mung bean protein), PBS5 (soy and mung bean protein at 4.5% each), PBS6 (pea and mung bean protein at 4.5% each), and PBS7 (soy, pea, and mung bean proteins at 3% each). All PBS formulations also contained konjac glucomannan, sea salt, Na₂CO₃, TiO₂, oleogel, sucrose, ice, and distilled water. The control formulation included Alaska Pollock surimi, sea salt, distilled water, and tapioca starch. The formulations were analyzed for color, texture, proximate composition, and amino acid profiles. All experiments were performed in triplicate, and statistical differences were evaluated using ANOVA (SPSS) with Tukey's test at a 5% significance level.

Results

All plant-based surimi formulations, except PBS5 and PBS7, showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) from the control in ash content. For moisture, PBS3, PBS5, and PBS6 exhibited values comparable to the control (75.15% ± 0.99). PBS5 presented a balanced composition of essential amino acids, including leucine, valine, and lysine. Texture analysis indicated that PBS3, PBS4, and PBS5 were not significantly different (p > 0.05) from the control in hardness and chewiness, suggesting their potential to replicate the texture of fish-based surimi. Color analysis revealed that PBS4 and PBS5 closely matched the control, with no significant differences (p > 0.05).

Significance

This study demonstrates the potential of using soy, pea, and mung proteins to create plant-based surimi with properties like traditional surimi. PBS5 stood out for its balanced amino acid profile, higher ash and moisture content, and comparable texture and color to the control. These findings support the development of sustainable seafood alternatives, with opportunities for improving texture and consumer appeal.

Authors: Shahriyar Valizadeh, Mahagani Lasciers, Alyssa Simon, Rashid Adedeji, Habibollah Faraji, William Oyom, Ruth Awuku, Alev Y. Aydar, Reza Tahergorabi