3.4. Color properties of heat-set surimi gels
Fig. 3 shows the L⁄a⁄b⁄ tristimulus colour values and a plot of
the whiteness. Whiteness slightly increased (P < 0.05) up to 4 g/
100 g of fiber added to surimi followed by a decrease (P < 0.05).
The decrease in whiteness correlated with a decrease (P < 0.05) in L⁄. However, the whiteness decrease was slight because of reduced
(P < 0.05) b⁄. The lower b⁄ (i.e., yellowness) contributed to
the whitening effect of added fiber for 2 and 4 g/100 g treatments
and kept the whiteness decrease at the minimal level when more
than 4 g/100 of fiber was added. The lower b⁄ is associated with
less yellowness in surimi gels; and thus, is considered beneficial.
However, a⁄ was reduced by the added fiber. The more negative
a⁄ value is associated with more green hue in the gel colour, which
is considered disadvantageous in surimi. Overall, fortification of
surimi with more than 4 g/100 g of fiber resulted in slight darkening
(lower L⁄) and a shift toward less yellow (lower b⁄) but greener
(lower a⁄) gels.