Although dietary fiber provides health benefits, most Western populations have insufficient intake. Surimi
seafood is not currently fortified with dietary fiber, nor have the effects of fiber fortification on physicochemical
properties of surimi been thoroughly studied. In the present study, Alaska pollock surimi was
fortified with 0–8 g/100 g of long-chain powdered cellulose as a source of dietary fiber. The protein/water
concentrations in surimi were kept constant by adding an inert filler, silicon dioxide in inverse concentrations
to the fiber fortification. Fiber-fortified surimi gels were set at 90 C. The objectives were to
determine (1) textural and colour properties; (2) heat-induced gelation (dynamic rheology); and (3) protein
endothermic transitions (differential scanning calorimetry) of surimi formulated with constant protein/
water, but variable fiber content. Fiber fortification up to 6 g/100 g improved (P < 0.05) texture and
colour although some decline occurred with 8 g/100 g of fiber. Dynamic rheology correlated with texture
and showed large increase in gel elasticity, indicating enhanced thermal gelation of surimi. Differential
scanning calorimetry showed that fiber fortification did not interfere with thermal transitions of surimi
myosin and actin. Long-chain fiber probably traps water physically, which is stabilized by chemical bonding
with protein within surimi gel matrix. Based on the present study, it is suggested that the fiber–protein
interaction is mediated by water and is physicochemical in nature.