Effects of Citrus Fiber on the Gel Properties of Mutton Myofibrillar Protein

This work investigated the effects of different additions of water-soluble citrus fiber (SCF) and water-insoluble citrus fiber (ICF) on the gel properties of the mutton myofibrillar protein (MP). The key parameters of water-holding capacity (WHC), rheological properties, and microstructure were evaluated. The addition of 2.5–10% of SCF and ICF significantly improved (p < 0.05) the WHC and gel strength of mutton MP gel. The rheological results showed that the viscoelasticity of MP with 5% SCF was the best, and the T2 relaxation time of the gel was significantly shortened. SEM results showed SCF reduced the number of pores in the MP gel, forming a more compact network structure. ICF stabilized the MP gel network structure as a filler after water absorption and expansion. However, the gel lost moisture under the action of strong external force (freeze-drying), which left large pores. These data confirmed that SCF and ICF could effectively improve the gel properties of meat products.