Impact of Glycosylated Fish Gelatin Emulsion Gels on the Gel Properties and Structural Characteristics of Surimi Gels

Surimi-based products are widely popular in the market owing to their unique texture and nutritional properties; however, traditional processing methods often result in reduced lipid content, despite lipids playing a crucial role in health. This study evaluated the effects of adding glycosylated fish gelatin emulsifying gel (prepared by glycosylating fish gelatin (FG) with D(+)-glucose (Glu) or β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) for 2 h) at 5%, 10%, and 15% (w/w) to hairtail surimi on its gel properties. The results indicated that both emulsified gels significantly enhanced gel strength, texture, and visual whiteness of hairtail surimi gel, with FG-βCD showing more pronounced improvements. FG-βCD also substantially reduced exudation and improved moisture distribution, resulting in a 69.81% decrease in juice loss. Furthermore, the addition of gelatin emulsifying gels shifted protein secondary structures toward more ordered forms, increasing α-helix and β-sheet content while reducing disordered components. Chemical interaction analysis revealed that hydrophobic interactions and nonspecific binding contributed to the reinforcement of gel formation. In conclusion, these findings highlighted that glycosylated emulsifying gels, as functional exogenous additives for surimi, offer a viable strategy for developing lipid-enriched, high-quality surimi products that meet emerging nutritional demands.