EFFECTS OF POMEGRANATE PEEL EXTRACT ON GELATION CHARACTERISTIC OF LESSER SARDINE (SARDINELLA SPP.) SURIMI.

Pomegranate is an important source of bioactive compounds (antioxidant and antimicrobial) and has been used for folk medicine for many centuries. Pomegranate peel had the highest antioxidant activity among the peel, pulp and seed fractions of 28 kinds of fruits commonly consumed. Polyphenols represent the predominant class of phyto-chemicals. Pomegranate peel mainly consists of hydrolysable tannins. Phenolic compounds may exert beneficial effects through their free radical scavenging and antioxidant potential. Among these are hydrolysable tannins, which are mainly located in the fruit peel and mesocarp. In the present study, effect of ethanolic extract of pomegranate peel (PPE) at different levels (0.1 to 0.5%) on functional characteristics of lesser sardine (Sardinella spp.) surimi of was analysed. There was an increasing trend in gel strength values with increase in concentration of PPE but only upto a concentration of 0.4%. Also with the addition of different levels of PPE the value of whiteness decreased with increase in the concentration as compared to control. Effect on expressible moisture, -SH group content and texture analysis were also analysed. Addition of pomegranate peel extract has enhanced gel strength of lesser sardine surimi and other functional properties were also improved that may serve as one of the natural additives in enhancing functional properties of surimi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]