SPRAY DRIED PROTEIN POWDER FROM THREADFIN BREAM: PREPARATION, PROPERTIES AND COMPARISON WITH FPC TYPE-B

Mechanically deboned threadfin bream (Nemipterus japonicus) meat was repeatedly washed in cold water and homogenized in equal amounts of water. The myofibrillar proteins in the homogenate were converted into a gel by the addition of acetic acid to lower the pH. The diluted gel was spray dried to get a colorless, odorless powder containing 93% protein, 1% lipid, 2.6% ash and 5% moisture. The functional properties of the powder including solubility, moisture absorption, and water holding and emulsifying capacities were superior as compared with those of FPC type-B obtained after cooking and hot air-drying of the fish meat. The spray dried powder had a protein efficiency ratio of 3.52 ± 0.27 and was digestible up to 80% by trypsin and pepsin. Unlike the FPC-type B, the spray dried powder did not undergo significant browning suggesting its superior storage stability.