Mince gels with hydrocolloids and salts: composition/function relationships and discrimination of functionality by multivariate analysis

Abstract

Multivariate statistical methods were applied to gelling properties (mechanical, water holding capacity, and color) of blue whiting mince with varying combinations of hydrocolloids and different ranges of salts. Factor analysis identified five principal components which accounted for over 90% of the data variance. The role of the salts in the various functional properties was independent of the hydrocolloid used. The most important contributor was CaCl₂, present in the first three factors, which negatively affected most of the target parameters and positively influenced elasticity and lightness. KCl and NaCl appeared to have a less drastic effect on the studied properties; they presented high factor loadings in the fourth and fifth principal components, respectively. Three clusters were obtained: 1) locust bean and guar gum; 2) carrageenans (iota and kappa), carboxymethylcellulose and sodium alginate; and 3) xanthan gum. Basically, breaking deformation and hardness were the variables that best discriminated in 96.4% of cases.