Psyllium husk powder and saltiness in low-salt surimi gel
What it found
Adding psyllium husk powder to low-salt fish paste made it taste as salty as the high-salt version in lab tests.
It also made the gel firmer and reduced moisture lost during cooking.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Firmer gel texture
Adding the powder changed the protein shapes and strengthened the bonds between them. This made the gel network tighter and more even. Gel strength rose from 11.35 to 13.88 N in lab tests.
Less moisture lost
Cooking loss dropped from 6.33% to 2.27% when the powder was added. The tighter gel network also helped water move more freely inside the paste. These results come from lab tests.
Faster salt release
Surimi with 1.5% psyllium husk powder released sodium ions 30% faster than plain low-salt surimi. An electronic tongue showed this made it taste as salty as high-salt surimi. These were lab measurements.
What the authors conclude
- They say adding psyllium husk powder is a promising way to improve the texture of low-salt fish paste products.
- The authors note it can also boost how salty these products taste while using less salt overall.
How it was done
Cutting back on salt helps prevent and manage high blood pressure and heart problems. But lowering salt in fish paste products makes them less salty and changes their texture.
Scientists mixed psyllium husk powder into low-salt surimi, a paste made from fish. They tested how this changed the gel structure, firmness, water loss, and salt release. An electronic tongue measured how salty the gels tasted.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- These are lab tests on fish paste, not studies in people eating food. An electronic tongue measured saltiness, so scientists do not yet know if real people would notice the same difference.
- Lab tests on gel structure cannot show what happens when someone eats the product.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, China; China-Ireland International Cooperation Centre for Food Material Science and Structural Design, China; Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ireland
The paper
- Title
- Enhanced Gelation Properties and Saltiness Perception of Low-Salt Surimi Gel with Psyllium Husk Powder
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Zhang P, Zheng M, Hou G, et al (2024). Enhanced Gelation Properties and Saltiness Perception of Low-Salt Surimi Gel with Psyllium Husk Powder. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.4c09113PubMed 39630961DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error